200 New Species Discovered in SE Asia: Save ‘Em Before They’re Gone
More than 200 new species have been discovered in Southeast Asia including a “psychedelic gecko” (pictured here). The Mekong River area has incredible biodiversity that is threatened with habitat loss. The region’s only remaining Javan rhinoceros recently became extinct in Vietnam, leaving no more than a few dozen extant in Indonesia.
Photo by Lee Grismer/AP
More Animal Surgeries: Australasian Bittern Attacked by Cat, Echidna Run Over by Car
Here’s some video of some of the work helping animals at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. The threatened Australian bittern is just one of the catastrophic number of bird species that are being decimated by feline populations around the world. Echnidas hit by vehicles, who survive, generally have their beaks broken.
Red Kites Being Fed Chicken in England
Great to see that the near-threatened red kite is making a comeback in the UK — the bird of prey has been successfully reintroduced to a number of areas of the country. It’s a bit disheartening though to see a beautiful wild creature swooping down to eat chunks of chicken handed out like seeds to pigeons. This is not comment on the work of the people who are protecting this species; just a comment on how much wildness is being lost in the world when an animal like this becomes a conservation-dependent species.
Here is a pic of two red kites and a common buzzard taken at Gigrin, the site of the feeding area:
Photo courtesy of Eifion via Flickr
Fragile and Resilient and Beautiful Life: Endangered Wood Stork in Texas (VIDEO)
The birds, while abundant in South America, are endangered in the United States. It is the only stork that breeds in this country.
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s species profile of the bird:
“No critical habitat rules have been published for the wood stork.
No conservation plans have been created for wood stork.”
One of the groups working to protect the stork is Friends of the Everglades, founded by the late and legendary environmentalist Marjory Stone Douglas, who died in 1998 at 108. Click here to listen to interviews with Douglas from 1983.
Footage of Rare Shore Plover in New Zealand: World Population is…
less than 200.
Introduced rats and feral cats have killed off most of its population. A couple years back, it was introduced to Mana Island, a rodent- and predator-free location, off the coast of Wellington. The island is serving as a Noah’s Ark for many other endangered bird species.
One group helping protect endangered New Zealand birds is the Friends of Mana Island. (Membership: $20) The organization has helped in the planting of 350,000 native trees and shrubs there in the last twenty years.
This footage was shot on the mainland in Plimmerton near Wellington.
Post-Surgery, Endangered Northern Map Turtle Will Get a Check-up After Release
All animals should get this much care: A northern map turtle named Agnes that had a fish hook down her esophagus is released after having surgery to remove it. “She’s gonna go back on the Susquehanna River… there is a radio transmitter on her back. They would like to see her in six to eight weeks for a quick check up,” says the narrator.
Tasmanian Devil — Growler
Is this one of the reasons it got its name?
Orphaned Bear Cub
But they don’t say what’s gonna happen to the little guy
Great Tiger Footage — from India
It’s the last best refuge of the big cat but when the animals get too close to human settlement, it’s usually the cats who lose. Lack of habitat is forcing them into closer and closer contact with man.