Fifty mountain chicken frogs, rare amphibians native to the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Montserrat, have been airlifted to three European zoos when news spread that the mountain chicken frog population was succumbing to a deadly fungal disease called chytridiomycosis. The frogs are now housed in captive breeding units at the London Zoological Society, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey, and the Parken Zoo in Sweden.
Although they are called mountain chicken frogs, the large frogs actually live in the lowlands. Before their population was decimated by disease, they were eaten by locals; their flesh tastes similar to chicken.
Harry, a jaguar who was born January 1st, made his official public debut on Monday at the Jacksonville Zoo.
He been staying in a holding area with his mother, Zassi. To mark his first appearance officials made speeches and then the mother and cub tore open pinatas containing meat.
Harry is the first jaguar born at the zoo in 28 years. He was named by an 11-year-old girl whose parents had won the naming rights at a fundraiser; Harry is the name of her younger brother.
A pair of golden lion tamarins were born at the Santa Ana Zoo in late March. Shown here grabbing hold of mother Abril’s back, the babies will put on public display as soon as they start exploring on their own.
Golden lion tamarins are considered endangered in their native home of Brazil.
Thousands of people have been watching Hancock Wildlife Foundation‘s live streaming video footage of a bald eagle’s nest on Vancouver Island, Canada to try to catch a glimpse of three eaglets hatching. The mother laid the eggs in early March. As the gestation period of a bald eagle is around 35-40 days, the eaglets are expected to hatch this week.
For more info and to see more eagle nest web cams, visit: HWF Live Cameras
To learn more about bald eagles, see Animal Fact Guide’s article: Bald Eagle.
Last summer, the Bush administration set forth a plan to remove habitat protections for the spotted owl and allow for increased logging in Oregon. Environment law firm Earthjustice had filed a lawsuit against the plan.
But yesterday, the Obama administration asked Judge Emmet Sullivan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to halt proceedings on the case while US Fish and Wildlife Service agents reevaluate the plan. If habitat protections are put back in place, Earthjustice may drop the lawsuit.
The Irrawaddy dolphin is listed by the IUCN as vulnerable. But surveys conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Chittagong University in Bangladesh have given biologists hope. The surveys estimate that a population of 6000 live around the coast of Bangladesh – a number far higher than expected.
Still, scientists warn that there are still threats to the dolphins’ survival such as entanglement in fishing nets and changes in water flows due to damming the river.
Yesterday, a baby giraffe was born at the San Francisco Zoo. The calf, sex to be determined, is walking on all fours and following mother Kristin. This is the second baby giraffe born this year at the zoo.
Credit: Nancy Heaslip, New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation
A report by New Scientist has pointed the finger at cave explorers for possibly spreading a disease that has decimated bat populations from Virginia to New England. Scientists believe the disease, white-nose syndrome, can be passed by direct bat-to-bat contact or from bat-to-cave contact, and cave explorers may be spreading the disease as they visit multiple caves.
The symptoms of the disease include a white fungus around the bats’ nose and wings. Further, in bats infected with the disease, the fat stores that usually sustain them while hibernating in the winter are largely depleted. They are also found huddled together closer to cave entrances and have been known to venture out during the day and in cold weather — all uncharacteristic bat behavior.
Four Asian small-clawed otters were born at SeaWorld Orlando three weeks ago. Bred as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Species Survival Plan, Asian small-clawed otters are threatened in the wild by habitat destruction, hunting, and pollution. In the wild, they live in the rivers, creeks, estuaries and coastal waters of Southeast Asia, from northern India to southeastern China, the Malay Peninsula and parts of Indonesia.
Fifty mountain chicken frogs, rare amphibians native to the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Montserrat, have been airlifted to three European zoos when news spread that the mountain chicken frog population was succumbing to a deadly fungal disease called chytridiomycosis. The frogs are now housed in captive breeding units at the London Zoological Society, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey, and the Parken Zoo in Sweden.
Harry, a jaguar who was born January 1st, made his official public debut on Monday at the 
Yesterday, a baby giraffe was born at the 
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