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Facts About Mammals
Did you know there are 21 groups of mammals? Or that there are nearly 5,000 species of mammals? Find out these facts and more in this article about mammals. Facts About Mammals originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at 18:51:22. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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All About Amphibians
Amphibians are a group of animals that includes newts, salamanders, caecilians, frogs and toads. There are between 5,000 and 6,000 species of amphibians alive today. The following articles will introduce you to amphibians and their various groups:
All About Amphibians originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at 18:50:03. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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Monotremes
Monotremes are a unique group of mammals. Unlike placental mammals and marsupials, monotremes lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. Monotremes consist of two subgroups, the echidnas and the platypus. Monotremes originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at 16:46:06. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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Pinnipeds
Pinnipeds are marine mammals that include three groups, the eared seals (also known as the fur seals), the true seals, and the walrus. This group of mammals are sell suited for life in the water, with a streamlined body and powerful flippers, insulating blubber and the ability to stay underwater for long periods of time. Pinnipeds originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Saturday, April 28th, 2012 at 10:50:07. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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Study Reveals Jellyfish on Rise
 Jellyfish numbers are on the rise worldwide according to a global study conducted by scientists from the University of British Columbia. The research team examined data for several species of jellyfish and found that jellyfish populations were increasing in 62 percent of the locations they analyzed. Areas with booming jellyfish populations included the coastal waters of East Asia, the Black Sea, the Northeastern United States, Hawaii and Antarctica.
This study represents the first of its kind done on global scale. Plenty of anecdotal evidence exists for increasing jellyfish populations but this is the first survey that quantifies the trend.
Jellyfish impact humans in a number of ways. They pose a threat to swimmers (their stings can be very painful and depending on the species can even be life threatening). They also clog water intakes for power plants and interfere with commercial fishing.
Photo © Casper Tybjerg. Study Reveals Jellyfish on Rise originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Friday, April 27th, 2012 at 12:07:29. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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New Fishing Technology Reduces Threat to Seabirds
 Conservationists have introduced a new fishing technology that will help to reduce the threat of bycatch to critically endangered waved albatrosses. The technology, dubbed the Medina System, is aimed at making small-vessel bottom-set longline fishing safer for birds.
Current technology poses the greatest threat to seabirds when it is being set and when it is being hauled in. Birds attempt to grab bait and in doing so become ensnared on the line. They often die due to drowning or injury.
By helping to sink lines and bait more quickly, the new fishing technology reduces the chance for seabirds to grab onto bait and become hooked. Since the new aparatus does not weigh much and creates minimal drag, the lines are still easy for fishing boats to haul out of the water.
The new fishing technology was developed through the joint efforts of the American Bird Conservancy and their Ecuadorian Partner, Equilibrio Azul.
Photo © Dan Lebbin / American Bird Conservancy. New Fishing Technology Reduces Threat to Seabirds originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Friday, April 27th, 2012 at 11:34:12. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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Rare Parrot Receives Increased Protection
 The critically endangered Fuertes's parrot is to recieve additional protection thanks to the combined efforts of Fundacion ProAves, World Lands Trust, the American Bird Conservancy and several other conservation organizations. These organizations recently acquired more than 350 acres of habitat critical to the Fuertes's parrot and eleven other threatened species of birds, mammals and amphibians.
Colombia's Fuertes's parrot is among the world's most endangered birds. The species consists of a population of fewer than 250 individuals. The bird is so rare that it was thought to have been extinct for 90 years. It was rediscovered in 2002 by ProAves biologists working under an American Bird Conservancy grant. The ProAves biologists discoverd a small population of about a dozen birds surviing in the high-elevation cloud forest of the Colombian Andes.
Gold mining and deforestation pose the greatest threat to the Fuertes's parrots and their habitat. To protect the rare birds requires constant funding and commitment on the part of conservation organizations. Their efforts have resulted in the establishment of the Threatened Parrot Corridor, a collection of reserves that blend both municiple and private reserves. The corridor covers some 18,000 acres of crucial habitat and now protects about 70 percent of the Fuertes's Parrot population.
Photo © Fundación ProAves. Rare Parrot Receives Increased Protection originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Friday, April 27th, 2012 at 11:12:50. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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Komodo Dragon
Komodo dragons are the largest lizards in the world. These giant reptiles are dull brown, dark grey, or reddish in color, while juveniles are green with yellow and black stripes. Komodo dragons are carnivores and scavengers. They are the top carnivores in their ecosystems. Komodo dragons occasionally capture live prey by hiding in ambush and then charging their victims, although their primarily food source is carrion. They have good vision and adequate hearing but rely mostly on their acute sense of smell to detect potential prey. Komodo Dragon originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Friday, March 30th, 2012 at 15:31:22. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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Red Fox
The red fox is a charismatic carnivore that inhabits a widespread range throughout the Northern Hemisphere. This canine occurs as far north as the Arctic Circle and as far south as North Africa, Central America, and Asia. Red Fox originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Friday, March 30th, 2012 at 11:27:21. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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Newts and Salamanders
Newts and salamanders are a group of amphibians that include about 10 families that include some 470 species. All salamanders and newts are carnivorous. They feed on small invertebrates such as insects, worms, snails, and slugs. Many species of newts and salamanders have poison glands in their skin which helps to protect them against predators. Newts and Salamanders originally appeared on About.com Animals / Wildlife on Thursday, March 29th, 2012 at 13:57:33. Permalink | Comment | Email this
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