Cute Kalia!

Here are a few videos of baby Kalia from SWC interacting with children. Very cute!!!



This is another very cute video, but embedding isn't alowed
Sooooo CLICK HERE for more cuteness

Happy Holidays!

The Animals Save the Planet

On the AnimalPlanetTV youtube channel, they have these little series of commercials about easy ways to help out the environment that features our animal friends. They're so cute, funny, and conveys a simple yet important message in a short and effective manner.

This one is one of my favorites:




You can see the rest here: Animals Save the Planet

Finally They're Here!

What else would it be but the Guinea Pig Olympics!


Ever since Heracles blessed Olympiad with a stadium in honour of his father, Zeus, the sporting heroes of the day have taken part in the Olympic games. But man is not the only species to hold competitive sporting events


New images reveal, for the first time, that man's most trusted ally, the guinea pig, holds a yearly competition. The Guinea Pig Games (GPG) pits two teams of athletic Cavia porcellus against each other to win gold, silver, and bronze medals


As with the human Olympics, guinea athletes are held in great esteem among their fans, admired for their stamina, prowess and incredible feats


But they should also be admired for the dedication they show toward their chosen sport. Snuffles McSqueeby, gold-winning squash champ of last year's games, trains for 6 hours a day. The rest of his schedule consists mainly of trembling in the corner of his hutch


Many GPG hopefuls have had to overcome disabilities in order to compete. Fluffy Peters, like all guinea pigs, has no thumbs to hold the foil with. Over time he's strengthened his claw-like-paws to actually be able to grip the handle. He's not very good at swinging the tiny metal sword, but that's beside the point


A natural fear of water hasn't taken any wind out of the sails of former gold medallists, Snooky Pooky and Gertrude Tiddlywinks


Guinea athletes want to be taken seriously, but prejudice hangs around the GPG like a bad stench. Many humans see serious animal athletes as "adorable", they may laugh or condescendingly stroke them - a factor that has always prevented guinea pigs from joining the human Olympics....


...Linford Christie "accidentally" stepped on 100 metres hopeful, Bitey Stevens, during Barcelona '92. Bitey was only injured, but he could not compete and the Guinea Pig Games Committee decreed that guineas would no longer compete with humans until they are viewed as equals


The Guinea Pig Games is not without controversy of its own. Harvey Higginbottom, four time silver medallist, was banned from this year's GPGs because he failed the obligatory drugs tests...


...and renowned 'ard-man, Squeakers "Knockout" Thompson, caused outrage four years ago when he not only bit the ear off of his competitor, Jimmy Nibbles, but ate his babies too


Hamsters have been trying to get in on the event for decades, but snooty GPG bosses have forbidden them, stating that the hamsters carry too much weight in their cheeks to hurdle properly. We could get no comment from the disgruntled hamsters


This year's Guinea Pig Games ultimate winner will be announced in December. The images appear courtesy of The Guinea Pig Games Calender 2009, published by Icarus Arts

the happy fun time corgi kibble tap dance jamboree

Happy Earth Day!

Polar Bears and Sled Dogs

A strange relationship between dogs and bears.
Taken from the show "Jailed Polar Bear" on FirstScience.tv

Download in full from: FirstScience.tv

Keiko's Dream..... Keiko's Legacy

KEIKO'S DREAM... KEIKO'S LEGACY
An Educational Video
Coming in 2008

Joshua Records in association with The Free Willy Keiko Foundation to release an Educational Video about Keiko’s Life and Legacy, utilizing music written by Theresa Demarest from The Keiko’s Dream Tour.

The goal for this film is to encourage you to take a second look the whole effort to release Keiko back to the wild. We hope to evoke within you a desire:

*to ponder Keiko's own strong will to survive
*to explore his enormous embrace of his own freedom
*to observe his behavior and compare it to orcas in the wild
*to see things about Keiko in a way that maybe you didn't think about before
*to look at what The Free Willy Keiko Foundation and all those directly involved were doing
*to look at the ways in which the effort to release a captive whale into the wild succeeded perhaps from Keiko’s point of view
*to encourage the study of so many questions left unexplored...

The "KEIKO’S DREAM... KEIKO'S LEGACY" DVD utilizes footage provided by the Free Willy Keiko Foundation, Ocean Futures Society, Orcalab, and independent videographer Eric Engelken. The DVD is being produced by Joshua Records.

The title song "Keiko’s Dream" is an original instrumental piece dedicated to Keiko that evokes the whale’s song through the extra-ordinary lead guitar theme written by Theresa Demarest and eloquently performed by Good Company band member Tim Ellis. A second song titled: “Keiko” written for the DVD is performed by Theresa Demarest, Renato Caranto, and Thera Memory.

This is Keiko's Dream... This is Keiko's Legacy.

Go Orange on April 10th

Join Animal Lovers Everywhere and Go Orange for Animals on April 10 for ASPCA Day!

On Thursday, April 10, cities all over the country will be going orange to celebrate the ASPCA’s victories on behalf of animals and the joy they bring to pet parents everywhere. Lend us your voice on April 10 by dressing yourself, your kids, your pet—even your school or company!—in ASPCA orange, and show the world you support the ASPCA and the pets we protect. Visit the ASPCA Day Online Community Group to give—and get—good ideas for going orange.

Learn more about ASPCA Day here

Alligator Blood May Lead to Powerful New Antibiotics

Alligator Blood May Lead to Powerful New Antibiotics
Amitabh Avasthi for National Geographic News
April 7, 2008

Alligators often engage in violent fights over territories and mates, and scientists have puzzled over why their wounds rarely get infected.

Now researchers think the secret lies in the reptiles' blood.

Chemists in Louisiana found that blood from the American alligator can successfully destroy 23 strains of bacteria, including strains known to be resistant to antibiotics.

In addition, the blood was able to deplete and destroy a significant amount of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Study co-author Lancia Darville at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge believes that peptides—fragments of proteins—within alligator blood help the animals stave off fatal infections.

Such peptides are also found in the skin of frogs and toads, as well as in Komodo dragons and crocodiles. The scientists think that these peptides could one day lead to medicines that would provide humans with the same antibiotic protection.

"We are in the process of separating and identifying the specific peptides in alligator blood," said Darville, who presented the findings on Sunday at the 235th national meeting of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans.

"Once we sequence these peptides, we can obtain their chemical structure to potentially [create new] drugs."

Alligator Cream

Study co-author Mark Merchant, a biochemist at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, was among the first to notice alligators' unusual resistance.

He was intrigued that, despite living in swampy environments where bacteria thrive, alligators that suffered frequent scratches and bruises rarely developed fatal infections.

Merchant therefore created human and alligator serum—protein-rich blood plasma that has had clotting agents removed—and exposed each of them to 23 strains of bacteria.

Human serum destroyed only eight of the bacterial strains. But the alligator serum killed all 23, including drug-resistant bacteria such as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

When the alligator serum was exposed to HIV the researchers found that a good amount of the virus was destroyed.

The study team thinks that pills and creams containing alligator peptides could be available at local pharmacies within seven to ten years.

Such products would be a boon to patients that need extra help preventing infections, such as diabetes patients with foot ulcers, burn victims, and people suffering from auto-immune diseases.

But there may be potential hurdles before alligator-based medicines can reach drugstore shelves.

For example, Darville noted, initial tests have revealed that higher concentrations of the alligator serum tend to be toxic to human cells.

Not So Primitive

Adam Britton is a biologist based in northern Australia who has found similar antimicrobial proteins called crocodillins in the blood of crocodiles.

Antimicrobial peptides in crocodiles and alligators are part of the animals' innate immune systems, Britton said, which provide automatic protection from certain diseases.

By contrast, human immunities are adaptive—people develop resistance to many diseases after exposure, such as the low doses given in vaccines.

Although innate immunity is often considered primitive, there is nothing primitive about its effectiveness, Britton said.

Innate immunities "usually serve to amplify the adaptive immune system, often by weakening the membranes of bacteria," he said.

"It appears that alligator and crocodile antimicrobial peptides are extremely effective agents" against bacteria, he added.

Britton hopes to use Australian crocodile blood to complement the latest work on alligators and answer questions about what these proteins mean for immune systems in general.

"If we can harness these secrets," Britton said, "we could be on the verge of a major advance in medical science."

Giant, Unknown Animals Found off Antarctica

March 28, 2008—Giant sea stars or starfish that measure 24 inches (60 centimeters) across are held by Sadie Mills, left, and Niki Davey of New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research on February 15, 2008.

They and other researchers collected 30,000 sea creatures—many new to science—during a 35-day census in Antarctic waters in February and March, according to a March 26 announcement.

The large-scale survey was part of the International Polar Year and Census of Antarctic Marine Life programs, which study the diversity of Antarctic marine life.


This hydroid—likely a new species—measures 2.5 inches (6.5 centimeters) across its “head” and has stalks over 39 inches (100 centimeters) long.

The colorful coral-like animal was snagged from one of 39 sites surveyed by New Zealand scientists in southern Antarctica's Ross Sea in February and March 2008.

On the 2,000-mile (3,218-kilometer) journey, the team collected specimens from the surface to the seabed, where this hydroid was found.


Collected from the Ross Sea shelf in southern Antarctica, this 9.8-inch-long (25-centimeter-long) giant sea spider was one of 30,000 animals found during a 35-day census in early 2008.

The marine arachnids, which prey on hydroids and bryzoans—branching, coral-like animals—are larger and more common in Antarctic waters than anywhere else on Earth.

Cold temperatures, few predators, and high levels of oxygen in seawater could explain their gargantuan size, Don Robertson of New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research told the Associated Press.


A mysterious animal with a small crustacean perched on its back floats 7,218 feet (2,200 meters) below the surface in the Ross Sea off southern Antarctica.

The 19-inch-long (50-centimeter-long) creature might be a tunicate, or sea squirt, say scientists who found it during a large-scale survey of Antarctic life in early 2008.

The Antarctic summer's perpetual daylight meant that the New Zealand team could canvass the sea day and night.


An Antarctic octopus found at 3,280 feet (1,000 meters) in southern Antarctica's Ross Sea was one of about 18 octopus species recorded during a survey conducted in early 2008.

New Zealand scientists estimate they also collected 88 species of fish—8 of which are new species—as well as 8 species of squid on the 50-day journey.


This predatory fish, called a stareater, uses its luminous red chin appendage to lure prey into striking distance.

The fish was one of more than 30,000 marine creatures hauled up by a team of 26 scientists and 18 crew during a census of Antarctic life in early 2008.

The team endured icy weather as cold as 8.6 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 13 degrees Celsius)—which caused equipment to freeze up and samples to ice over as soon as they landed on deck.


This 19-inch-long (50-centimeter-long) daggertooth sports a striking iridescent body and sapphire blue eyes.

An Antarctic neighbor of the predatory stareater, this fish is one of the southernmost daggertooths ever caught, said New Zealand scientists who captured it during a marine census in early 2008.

The animal uses its long mouth and forward-curved teeth immobilize prey, clamping down and pulling back to tear through and paralyze the victim's spine.


This sea cucumber—held by Sadie Mills of New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research—is known as a sea pig.

Mills and colleagues collected the organism, among more than 30,000 animals, during a marine census of southern Antarctica in early 2008.

Sea cucumbers are part of a group of marine animals that inhabit the seafloor, including sea squirts, sea stars (starfish), sea slugs, corals, clams, sponges, and urchins.


This shrimplike crustacean was collected 985 feet (300 meters) deep on the Ross Sea shelf, during a marine census led by New Zealand scientists in early 2008.

This amphipod species was first discovered during a 2004 Antarctic voyage aboard the research ship Tangaroa.

The tiny creatures are found in both seawater and fresh water, as well as in mud and sand.


High-powered cameras photographed this sea star or a starfish of the genus Labediaster (lower left) surrounded by brittle stars on a seamount 492 feet (150 meters) below the surface of Antarctica's Ross Sea.

The early-2008 marine survey is expected to yield eight new mollusk species, Stefano Schiaparelli of Italy's National Antarctic Museum in Genoa told the Associated Press.

“This is a new brick in the wall of Antarctic knowledge,” he said.

--National Geographic

White Killer Whale Spotted Off Alaska

Researchers working near Alaska's Aleutian Islands on Feb. 23 spotted a white killer whale, which they estimate was 25 to 30 feet long and weighed more than 10,000 pounds. This is only the third time in the past 15 years that such a whale has been seen in the area.

White Killer Whale Spotted Off Alaska
By MARY PEMBERTON,AP
Posted: 2008-03-07 10:57:34
Filed Under: Science News

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (March 7) - The white killer whale spotted in Alaska's Aleutian Islands sent researchers and the ship's crew scrambling for their cameras.

The nearly mythic creature was real after all.

"I had heard about this whale, but we had never been able to find it," said Holly Fearnbach, a research biologist with the National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle who photographed the rarity. "It was quite neat to find it."

The whale was spotted last month while scientists aboard the Oscar Dyson, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research ship, were conducting an acoustic survey of pollock near Steller sea lion haulout sites.

It had been spotted once in the Aleutians years ago but had eluded researchers since, even though they had seen many of the more classic black and white whales over the years.

Fearnbach said the white whale stood out.

"When you first looked at it, it was very white," she said Thursday.

Further observation showed that while the whale's saddle area was white, other parts of its body had a subtle yellowish or brownish color.

It likely is not a true albino given the coloration, said John Durban, a research biologist at NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Seattle. That's probably a good thing - true albinos usually don't live long and can have health problems.

Durban said white killer whales have been spotted elsewhere in the area twice before: in 1993 in the northern Bering Sea around St. Lawrence Island and in 2001 near Adak in the central Aleutians. There have also been sightings along the Russian coast.

While Alaska researchers have documented thousands of black and white killer whales in the Bering Sea and the Aleutians during summer surveys, this was something new and exciting, Durban said.

"This is the first time we came across a white killer whale," he said.

The scientists observed several pods over a two-week period. The white whale was in a family group of 12 on a day when the seas were fairly rough. It was spotted about 2 miles off Kanaga Volcano on Feb. 23.

The ship stayed with the whale for about 30 minutes.

"Everybody actually came out and was taking pictures," Fearnbach said. "It was a neat sighting for everybody."

The whale appeared to be a healthy, adult male about 25 to 30 feet long and weighing upward of 10,000 pounds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chimo was another white orca that was captured in the 1970's.

Rare Animals Flee Fires in Kenya Park

February 25, 2008—Rhinoceroses flee fires in Kenya's Lake Nakuru National Park on February 23, 2008.

After beginning on February 21, the blazes have so far destroyed about a third of the park's 72 square miles (188 square kilometers), which are home to leopards, flamingos, giraffes, zebras, both black and white rhinos, and hundreds of other species.

"The buffalo really panicked, going in this direction and that," observer Jayne Nguatah told the Times of London. "There were rhino and impala as well, all trying to get out of the way."

Nakuru's black rhinos may have borne the brunt of the disaster. Listed as critically endangered by the World Conservation Union, the species numbers only about 60 in the park, and its chief foraging areas—the park's forests—were among the hardest hit areas of the park.

No human fatalities have been reported as a result of the fires.

Link to rest of story

Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl IV

Tired of the same old Super Bowl™ pre-game show? Looking for some excitement before the opening coin-toss? Before the big men in pads take the field for their gridiron battle, watch some players that are ready to rumble and "ruff" their way to victory. We've traded in linebackers for labradors and quarterbacks for corgis and we're releasing the hounds for PUPPY BOWL IV on Sunday, February 3, from 3-6 PM (ET/PT).

From baby beagles to mini dachshunds to mixed breeds — viewers are in for a fantastic lineup that's itching to play in a winning combination of tackles, puppy penalties and fido first downs. The renowned Harry Kalas, voice of NFL Films, returns to call the play-by-plays of this year's game.

For all the feline fans, the BISSELL KITTY HALF-TIME SHOW is back! The lively kittens show off their moves on a glittery stage and chase each other around the field. Tom Petty's performance has nothing on these tiny tabbies and cuddly calicos which prove that watching curious kittens batting around a toy mouse is all the entertainment you need. It's the pick of the litter for halftime shows!

And this year, viewers are able to see all of the frolicking like never before. For the first time, PUPPY BOWL IV will be broadcast in high-definition, capturing all of the thrilling action of our cute and cuddly pups in stunning clarity.

Tune in on February 3rd at 3 pm e/p to get in on the action!

Check out the starting lineup
Starting lineup brought to you by these shelters.

Beluga Bubblage

Translation: "Alia, a Russian white whale, amuses her visitors in a Japanese zoo. A trick that whales living in the wild can do as well, but not when ordered to, and surely not that many times in a row. Alia does it just for fun and can aim pretty well. Some say that a bubble from her brings luck."

Vick dogs make their debut

The gag order is lifted as the last defendant is sentenced and Bad Rap opens up about their experiences and discoveries made when evaluating the ex-fighting dogs.

See video, pictures, a timeline, and the entire process on Bad Rap's website here- A Second Chance for the Vick-tims

Their blogspot has also been updated and can be read here

These dogs were immediately labeled "ticking timebombs" by PETA and HSUS who took it upon themselves to decide it was best that they be put down with no further evaluation because of their fighting background. But evaluation of these dogs may help reinvent how to assess prior fighting dogs and show that shelters need to treat them on an individual basis instead of generalizing. You may recall that only ONE dog failed the rigerous temperament test admistered by both Bad Rap and the ASPCA.

Thanks to good people like Bad Rap and ASPCA EVERY dog no matter what breed, size, or background has an equal chance at finding that perfect home.

HSM Star with Poochie Pal

"High School Musical" star Ashley Tisdale takes her tiny pooch and new nose shopping at an upscale outdoor mall in Century City, CA.

zee cuteness, you die from it, ja? ja!

Watch Out, LOLCats!

Forget the cheezburger, LOLDogs and their hotdogs are in town!

Would you eat cloned meat?

Cloned Animals Safe to Eat, Says FDA
Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press

Jan. 15, 2008 -- Meat and milk from cloned animals is as safe as that from their counterparts bred the old-fashioned way, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.

The decision removes the last U.S. regulatory hurdle to marketing products from cloned cows, pigs and goats, and puts the FDA in concert with recent safety assessments from European food regulators and several other nations.

"The data show that healthy adult clones are virtually indistinguishable" from their counterparts, concludes FDA's 900-plus page safety report.

But for economic reasons, it will be years before many foods from cloned animals reach store shelves. At $10,000 to $20,000 per animal, they're a lot more expensive than ordinary cows. That means producers likely will us clones' offspring for meat, not the clones themselves.

In addition, several large food companies -- including dairy giant Dean Foods Co. and Hormel Foods Corp. -- have said they have no plans to sell milk or meat from cloned animals, because of consumer anxiety about the technology.

With FDA's ruling, "If you ask what's for dinner, it means just about anything you can cook up in a laboratory," said Carol Tucker-Foreman of the Consumer Federation of America, who pledged to push for more food producers to shun cloned animals.

The two main U.S. cloning companies, Viagen Inc. and Trans Ova Genetics, already have produced more than 600 cloned animals for U.S. breeders, including copies of prize-winning cows and rodeo bulls.

"We certainly are pleased," said Trans Ova President David Faber, who noted that previous reports by the National Academy of Sciences and others have reached the same conclusion.

"Our farmer and rancher clients are pleased because it provided them with another reproductive tool," he added.

Food producers have voluntarily withheld cloned animals from the market pending FDA's decision, and it wasn't immediately clear Tuesday if that moratorium was ending immediately -- or if other government agencies must weigh in first.

The ruling was long-expected -- and mirrors FDA's initial safety assessment back in 2003 -- but highly controversial nonetheless. Debate has been fierce within the Bush administration as to whether the FDA should move forward, largely because of trade concerns. Consumer advocates petitioned against the move, and Congress had passed legislation urging the FDA to study the economic ramifications before moving ahead.
It was a day forecast since 1997, when Scottish scientists announced they had successfully cloned Dolly the sheep. Ironically, sheep aren't on the list of FDA's approved cloned animals; the agency said there wasn't as much data about their safety as about cows, pigs and goats.

By its very definition, a successfully cloned animal should be no different from the original animal whose DNA was used to create it.

But the technology hasn't been perfected -- and many attempts at livestock cloning still end in fatal birth defects or with deformed fetuses dying in the womb. Moreover, Dolly was euthanized in 2003, well short of her normal lifespan, because of a lung disease that raised questions about how cloned animals will age.

The FDA's report acknowledges that, "Currently, it is not possible to draw any conclusions regarding the longevity of livestock clones or possible long-term health consequences" for the animal.

But the agency concluded that cloned animals that are born healthy are no different from their non-cloned counterparts, and go on to reproduce normally as well.

"The FDA says, 'We assume all the unhealthy animals will be taken out of the food supply,'" said Joseph Mendelson of the Center for Food Safety, a consumer advocacy group that opposes FDA's ruling. "They're only looking at the small slice of cloned animals that appear to be healthy. ... It needs a lot further study."

Cloned Pigs Glow

Cloned Pigs Glow Like Their Mom
Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press

They Have Their Mom's Hue Jan. 9, 2008 -- A cloned pig whose genes were altered to make it glow fluorescent green has passed on the trait to its young, a development that could lead to the future breeding of pigs for human transplant organs, a Chinese university reported.

Two of the 11 piglets glow fluorescent green from their snout, trotters, and tongue under ultraviolet light, according to Northeast Agricultural University, located in the city of Harbin.

Their mother was one of three pigs born with the trait in December 2006 after pig embryos were injected with fluorescent green protein.

"Continued development of this technology can be applied to ... the production of special pigs for the production of human organs for transplant," Liu Zhonghua, a professor overseeing the breeding program, said in a news release posted Tuesday on the university's Web site.

The birth of the glowing piglets proves such transgenic pigs are fertile and able to pass on their engineered traits to their offspring, Liu said.

"The smooth birth of these transgenic fluorescent green pigs testifies to the mature development of our country's use of somatic cell nuclear transfer technology to produce transgenic pigs," Liu said.

Calls to the university seeking comment Wednesday were not answered.

Robin Lovell-Badge, a genetics expert at Britain's National Institute for Medical Research, said the technology "to genetically manipulate pigs in this way would be very valuable."

Lovell-Badge had not seen the research from China's cloned pigs and could not comment on its credibility. He said, however, that organs from genetically altered pigs would potentially solve some of the problems of rejected organs in transplant operations.

He said the presence of the green protein would allow genetically modified cells to be tracked if they were transplanted into a human. The fact that the pig's offspring also appeared to have the green genes would indicate that the genetic modification had successfully penetrated every cell, Lovell-Badge added.

But he said much more research and further trials -- both in animals and in humans -- would be necessary before we could see the benefits of the technology.

Other genetically modified pigs have been created before, including by Scotland's Roslin Institute, but few results have been published.

Tokyo's Meiji University last year successfully cloned a transgenic pig that carries the genes for human diabetes, while South Korean scientists cloned cats that glow red when exposed to ultraviolet rays -- an achievement they said could help develop cures for human genetic diseases.

Mah God, lemme show yu him

LOLcat Bible

Genesis 1- "Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem..."

2007 Top Ten Wildlife Conservation Success Stories

1) Terrific toadlets

Habitat loss, pollution and disease are hitting some of the smallest creatures on earth the hardest. Frog populations have been in sharp decline the past few decades, but a fortunate native species is getting a helping hand from scientists. Staff at the Detroit Zoo are raising 40 juvenile Wyoming toads, one of the most endangered amphibians in the United States. The species is now considered functionally extinct in the wild, with the last remaining individuals only found in zoos and aquariums across the country. The zoo breeding partnership, led by Central Park Zoo and Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, has successfully released more than 6,000 tadpoles, toadlets and toads in Wyoming since the program's inception in 1995. Recent good news indicates that the recovery efforts may be paying off: this summer in a monitored protected area, conservationists discovered the first clutch of Wyoming toad eggs found in the wild in ten years.

2) Mice on the move

This summer, Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo in Gainesville, Florida, began housing 52 Perdido Key beach mice to protect the species from extinction. The mice originated from the University of South Carolina, but needed to be relocated after damage from Hurricane Ivan. The Brevard Zoo, Florida Aquarium and Palm Beach Zoo have since shared in the responsibility of caring for and studying the mice. There are only a few hundred individuals left in the wild, inhabiting just one barrier island off the coast of Pensacola. Scientists fear that a hurricane could be disastrous to the beach mice, potentially causing the species to become extinct in the wild. Breeding studies have commenced to safeguard their numbers.

3) The right stuff for right whales

The world's rarest large whale, the right whale, has been the topic of interest for scientists at the New England Aquarium this past year. Fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales currently exist in the world, and are threatened by ship collisions and entanglement in fishing gear, habitat loss, pollution, and disease. The New England Aquarium's Right Whale Research Project recently developed a hormone test to learn more about the reproductive rates of the endangered species. This information is critical in helping these giant sea creatures survive.

4) Loose lemurs

Black-and-white ruffed lemurs born in zoos are getting a feel for their new home at the Betampona Natural Reserve in eastern Madagascar. The Madagascar Fauna Group (MFG), and the Duke Lemur Center coordinated the plan to reintroduce zoo-bred lemurs to the wild, with the help of other MFG partners and institutions, including Salt Lake City's Hogle Zoo, the Los Angeles Zoo and the Santa Ana Zoo. The released individuals are being monitored and have fared well so far, with four offspring born from three reintroduced lemurs.

5) International sea turtle success

The Kemp's ridley sea turtle population is in bad shape, but thanks to cooperation between U.S and Mexican officials and scientists, the species can rest assured that their nesting sites will be safe. The Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, and Mexican conservation workers have protected the turtle's nesting sites on beaches in Tamaulipas, Mexico and Padre Island National Seashore. The Zoo reports an increase in nests by the hundreds each year on the Mexican Gulf Coast, indicating success of the program.

6) Black and white is all the rage

Grevy's zebras are the hot topic in animal awareness thanks to the Saint Louis Zoo. The Zoo has partnered with several Kenyan non-profits and other zoo partners to spread awareness to communities in the zebra's home range across Kenya. Grevy's zebras are threatened by poaching and competition from livestock, but efforts to raise awareness in Kenyan villages have been paying off and benefiting their wild populations, reports the Zoo. Several communities have established livestock-free conservation areas, which benefit not only the zebras, but all forms of wildlife in the region. Additionally, over 30 Grevy's zebra foals have been born and raised at the Saint Louis Zoo over the past five decades.

7) Saving "Jaws"

For the third time since 2004, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has placed a young white shark on public exhibit. The shark was caught accidentally in commercial fishing gear off Southern California. Through its White Shark Research Project, the Aquarium has worked since 2002 to learn more about white sharks in the wild, and has since tagged and tracked 10 juvenile white sharks off Southern California. White sharks are in decline worldwide, in part because they are slow to reproduce and also because of growing fishing pressure that is decimating all shark species. Their fearsome reputation has also made them a target of trophy hunters and the curio trade. The Aquarium's hope in exhibiting a white shark is to change public attitudes and promote greater protection for these much-maligned ocean predators.

8) Blue skies for butterflies

Floridian zoos have teamed up to protect the small but mighty butterfly. The Florida Butterfly Monitoring Network, which includes Brevard Zoo, Central Florida Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Jacksonville Zoo, Lowry Park Zoo, and Miami MetroZoo, is working to survey butterfly populations throughout Florida. Saving this small creature is no small task, and volunteer citizen scientists trained by the zoos conduct monthly counts of butterflies in both natural and man-made habitats on zoo grounds. This information allows researchers to monitor populations and look into potential threats to fragile butterfly species.

9) Marmot Island

The Vancouver Island marmot is the most endangered animal in Canada. Native to British Columbia’s Vancouver Island, these critters are being threatened by massive habitat destruction in the wild. Their current wild population is estimated at nearly 50 animals, but thanks to breeding centers devoted to the species, such as the Toronto Zoo, the population is now around 150. Calgary Zoo in Alberta was the first to successfully breed the marmots at their facility, and produced an impressive five litters in 2007. The pups will be reintroduced in Mount Washington, British Columbia, where they will undergo pre-release conditioning to improve survivability in the wild. Veterinarians at the Calgary Zoo were also recently awarded an AZA Conservation Endowment Fund (CEF) grant to study diseases impacting Vancouver Island marmot populations at the breeding institutions and in the wild.

10) The regal eagle's recovery

This year, America's national symbol, the bald eagle, was removed from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Endangered Species List. This was a grand feat for the species, which just a decade ago faced dwindling populations. The San Francisco Zoo has been instrumental in breeding and releasing captive eagles, and has reintroduced more than 100 bald eagles over the past 22 years. The Zoo reports about 200 nesting pairs of bald eagles in California today.


~AZA.org