-
-
A Painfully Early Arrival for a Summer Nuisance
A wonder to biologists, a killer in a Sherlock Holmes story and a notorious pain to people they touch, jellyfish have always been a blobbish summer menace to swimmers, fishermen and little children’s curious fingers.
But this year they have been even more of an annoyance than usual, arriving early and perplexing fishermen and beachgoers from Toms River, N.J., to Long Island and beyond. Biologists have several theories about why the jellyfish, particularly one breed, the lion’s mane, have turned out about a month before they are usually seen here.
On Sunday, scores of jellyfish were waiting at dawn when nearly 3,000 athletes jumped into the Hudson River for the swim portion of the New York City Triathlon.
“I thought the water was radioactive or something,” said one competitor, Melanie Klesse, 24, who said she was stung on the elbow.
One triathlete, a 32-year-old man, died after being pulled unconscious from the river on Sunday, but autopsy results were inconclusive Monday.
Dave Grant, the director of the Brookdale College Sandy Hook Ocean Institute, said he knew of no documented fatal sting from a lion’s mane. (The jellyfish were discovered to have murdered the unfortunate Fitzroy McPherson in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Lion’s Mane.”)
Kenneth W. Able, director of the Rutgers University Marine Field Station in Tuckerton, N.J., said the early arrival could have something to do with recent winds from the south that blew away the sea’s warmer surface water, allowing an upwelling of cold water, which the lion’s mane loves.
Edward Enos, the superintendent of the Aquatic Resources Division for the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass., said conditions may have been perfect for an unusual number of baby jellyfish, called polyps, to survive.
“It’s nature,” Mr. Enos said. “It’s like some years you have beautiful, big blooms of dandelions in your yard, and sometimes not.” A wonder to biologists, a killer in a Sherlock Holmes story and a notorious pain to people they touch, jellyfish have always been a bl... more -
China to buy African ivory stockpile
China has been approved as a buyer for a one-off sale of elephant ivory, with experts now believing the sale could go ahead within months. An international meeting judged that China had put sufficient measures in place to regulate ivory sales and crack down on the illegal domestic trade. The decision is severe blow for conservation organisations which argued that both the sale to and the approval of China, the world's biggest black market for ivory, would be a disaster for Africa's elephants and would lead to more poaching."We are deeply disappointed – the decision plays Russian roulette with wild elephants," said Robbie Marsland, UK director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. "Allowing new ivory to be imported into China will stimulate demand and create a smokescreen for illegal ivory to be laundered into the legal market." China narrowly missed out on approval in 2007 but was granted permission by the standing committee of the Convention for International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), a 173-nation agreement charged with ensuring the international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Japan is the only other approved buyer and both can now bid for the stockpile of 108 tonnes of ivory held by Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The ivory has been collected from culls in overpopulated areas and seizures.The issue of ivory sales has long been a contentious one. The international trade in elephant ivory was banned by Cites in 1989, but since then trading has been permitted for certain large elephant populations. China has been approved as a buyer for a one-off sale of elephant ivory, with experts now believing the sale could go ahead within mon... more
-
Rare White Bengal Tiger Babies At The Saskatoon Zoo Until September!
The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, has announce they have a pair of very rare white Bengal tiger cubs visiting their facility. Find out more here and find out about other things to do and see here when you travel through Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, has announce they have a pair of very rare white Bengal t... more
-
Orang-Utans could be the first great ape to become extinct
The orang-utan could be the first great ape to become extinct unless urgent and extraordinary action is taken to protect the species from human encroachment.
A new study has revealed that the orang-utan population in Indonesia and Malaysia has declined at an alarming rate since 2004. In the Central Kalimantan jungle on Borneo, the orang-utan population has fallen from 31,300 in 2004 to 20,000. This means, that orang-utans could be extinct there by 2011.
The main reasons for this development are illegal logging and the expansion of palm oil plantation in the area. Furthermore, orang-utans are hunted for food and trade.
Michelle Desilets, director of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation UK, said: "The rate of decline is increasing, and unless something is done, the wild orang-utan is on a quick spiral towards extinction." The orang-utan could be the first great ape to become extinct unless urgent and extraordinary action is taken to protect the species f... more -
Spanish protesters: "Bulls die a bloody death in Pamplona"
The annual running of the bulls begins in Pamplona today and animal protesters have invaded Spanish bullrings.
Campaigners claim that this truculent and sanguinary sport is no longer followed by the general public (a recent poll found that 72 per cent of Spaniards have no interest in bullfights).
PETA and other groups hope to mobilise their compatriots and obtain the abolition of tauromachy.
The annual running of the bulls begins in Pamplona today and animal protesters have invaded Spanish bullrings. ... more -
Animal Inspired Art Exhibition coming to London. Disturbing?
A ground breaking design exhibition takes place this September as part of the London Design Festival. It will bring together talented avant-garde designers and artists whose work is inspired by animals – forms that are simultaneously highly familiar but slightly disturbing; and radical yet nostalgic. Here are just a selection of some of the works of art that will be on show. A ground breaking design exhibition takes place this September as part of the London Design Festival. It will bring together talented ... more
-
Moral: Don't steal shit, unless you're naked
A woman trying to make "manure bombs" using stockings, slipped into a slurry tank and fled the scene naked, German police said on Friday. ... more -
Crocodile wanders into pub and poses for pictures
No this isn't a load of croc and not an urban myth. Patrons at an Aussie tavern had the pleasure of encountering a wander that was not your typical bar hopper. A baby saltwater croc managed to end up inside the bar located off a dusty path in the Australian Outback and quickly became the center of attention. No this isn't a load of croc and not an urban myth. Patrons at an Aussie tavern had the pleasure of encountering a wander that was not... more
-
Mythical Unicorn Found... in Deer Form
Discovery-News.com: Legend met reality recently as Italian researchers discovered a deer with a rare abnormality - a single antler growing from the middle of its head. Discovery's Rossell Lorenzi tracks the find. Discovery-News.com: Legend met reality recently as Italian researchers discovered a deer with a rare abnormality - a single antler gro... more
-
Streetsweeper sucks up dog
A streetsweeper has sucked up a pet pooch in in The Bronx, leaving only the lead behind....
Can anyone say Only Fools & Horses??? A streetsweeper has sucked up a pet pooch in in The Bronx, leaving only the lead behind.... ... more -
'Unicorn' born in Italy
A roe deer with a single horn in the middle of its head has found fame as the "Unicorn" of Tuscany.
The 10-month-old deer was born in captivity at the Centre of Natural Sciences, a nature reserve near Prato.
The 'unicorn' photographed in Tuscany, Italy
While single-horned deers have been spotted before, this particular buck has a uniquely central horn, thought to be the result of a genetic flaw.
"This is a demonstration that the fabled unicorn, which we all know from icons and legends, probably was not just a fantasy.
"It was probably an animal like this one, with a natural anomaly," said Gilberto Tozzi, the director of the centre.
A roe deer with a single horn in the middle of its head has found fame as the "Unicorn" of Tuscany. ... more -
Government slashes pesticide reporting laws
Bowing to pressure from Monsanto and the agro-toxics industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced May 21 that it plans to eliminate pesticide reporting at National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The program has tracked national pesticide use and provided critical information for consumer groups, scientists, farmers and environmental groups monitoring pesticide use and hazards.. NASS' elimination of the Agricultural Chemical Use Database is a direct attack on consumers and farmworkers' Right to Know about pesticide residues and food safety. Pesticide reporting has become particularly important in the last ten years with Genetically Engineered crops requiring more and more pesticides.
Please contact USDA Secretary Ed Schafer and your Congressperson today! Bowing to pressure from Monsanto and the agro-toxics industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced May 21 that it plans to el... more -
Miracle cat needs home
Cat found near dead with a broken back in Metro Vancouver hopes to find a new home.
-
Green People Planet #1: Bio Fuels Power Corp.
Cristina learns how to make Bio-fuel, generates power for a city, and drives a Tank!
-
The best animal full body tattoos ever ever
Dude at a club with some cracking animal tattoos, I thought the detail and variety was very good
-
Restaurant hygeine, this kitty does not abide
Your asking for trouble when you leave grub out for naughty ginger to chow down. Rough rider then plays a dangerous game with his gammon with the unleashed ginger very near by!
Your asking for trouble when you leave grub out for naughty ginger to chow down. Rough rider then plays a dangerous game with his gamm... more -
Creation of Human-Animal Embryos OKed in the UK
British scientists will be allowed to research devastating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s using human-animal embryos, after the House of Commons tonight rejected a ban.
An amendment to the Human Fertilization and Embryology Bill that would have outlawed the creation of “human admixed embryos” for medical research was defeated in a free vote by a majority of 160, preserving what Gordon Brown regards as a central element of the legislation.
The Government, however, is braced for defeat tomorrow on a separate clause that would scrap the requirement that fertility clinics consider a child’s “need for a father” before treating patients. MPs will also tomorrow consider amendments that would cut the legal limit for abortion from 24 weeks to 22 or 20 weeks.
A second amendment, that would have banned the creation only of “true hybrids” made by fertilizing an animal egg with human sperm, or vice-versa, was also defeated by a majority of 63. Another free vote later tonight is expected to approve the use of embryo-screening to create “savior siblings” suitable to donate umbilical cord blood to sick children.
British scientists will be allowed to research devastating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s using human-animal embryos, af... more -
The story of Brush and cat
The ginger lad likes to be brushed with the broom.
-
Bonjour Parisian pussy cat
Little French pussy cleverly maneuvering railings in the heart of Paris. Hes a cad!
Bonjour Parisian paris france pussy cat trick stunt french jackass kitty Little French pussy cleverly maneuvering railings in the heart of Paris. Hes a cad! ... more
-
related topics
Animal
Contributors (327)
Animal
