Wild Animal News

April 15 will not only see the pain of Income Tax Day but the beginning of overnight closures of southbound lanes of the 101 Freeway in Agoura. The Freeway cougar closure will facilitate the placing of beams needed for the Liberty Canyon over crossing according to the Ventura Star.

“Starting April 15, closures of all southbound lanes are expected to run from around midnight to 5 a.m. weekday mornings and to 6 a.m. Saturdays. Some lanes will begin closing as early as 7 p.m. Times and dates, however, are subject to change, the agency said.

A total of 82 girders, or 41 on each side, will stretch from the walls on either side of the freeway to middle support columns. Built in Riverside County, each one weighs from 125 to 140 tons, Caltrans officials said.” (link in original) North bound closures are scheduled for May.

The overnight work is part of the construction of the Wallis P. Annenberg Wildlife Overcrossing in Liberty Canyon. Annenberg was a prime contributor to the public/private venture. The venture began as something of an homage to P-22. That mountain lion (Puma concolor) led a highly public life for a secretive cat. His adventures captivated Los Angeles and spotlighted the dangers wildlife face in Los Angeles. The National Park Service (NPS) has identified traffic as a particularly dangerous threat to mountain lions, deer, bobcats and other creature. The freeway cougar closure is part of a statewide effort to reduce feline and other fatalities on California roads.

The project may be the largest of its kind in the world. The idea of creating traffic safe crossing for animals in now being implemented world wide.

Another less well-known but ambitious overcrossing of the 101 is also in the works for the 101 Freeway farther north.

According to the Los Angeles Times conservationists in the Bay Area are raising funds for a pathway similar to Liberty Canyon. Like the Southern California crossing it will be over the 101 Freeway. That freeway has several dangerous stretches for wildlife and people. A recent “mortality map” showed just how dangerous some roadways are for cougars. Traffic accidents are a serious threat to wildlife. Caltrans and partners are working to make the roads safer.

Internationally the idea of linking jaguar (Panthera onca) habitats has taken a leaf from the California work. Conservationists now realize that simply setting aside parks is not enough. Wild animals must be able to move between populations to prevent inbreeding and local extinction. Santa Monica Mountains cougars have been spotted with kinked tails, a sign of inbreeding, The National Park Service(NPS) says. Nps has been conducting local cougar studies for about 20 years and has collared more than 100 of the large felines.

It is no secret that tourism is a big business. But the burgeoning wildlife tourism industry may prove vital to the animals spotted by travelers.

According to the Future Markets Insight (FMI) blog the industry may nearly double in the next ten years .Wildlife tourism – or observing wild animals in their own habitat – is a critical part of the tourism industry in Australia, America, Africa, Canada, Indonesia, Maldives and Sri Lanka.

The blog says :

“By 2034, the size of the worldwide wildlife tourism market is expected to reach US$ 2,45,298.4 million. Based on projections, the market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.20% until 2034. The industry for wildlife tourism is expected to be worth US$ 1,47,753.3 million in 2024.” (Links in original)

Of course the idea of animal tourism has positives and negatives.

“During the visit to wildlife destinations, tourists contribute to the improvement and conservation of the conditions of wild animals. Wildlife tourism also improves the life of the local tribes, as when tourism flourishes, they get opportunities of improved livelihood. Continuous flow of tourists keep the poachers away from killing endangered species of animals. When tourists visit wildlife sanctuaries certain amount of entrance fee is charged from them.

This money is directed towards animal conservation programmes. However there are some negative impacts too. The disturbance is always high when tourists approach the wildlife very closely to take photos. Also, the breeding patterns of animals may also get disturbed due to constant pressure of tourists to take photographs of animals with their young ones.”

The rise of eco-tourism has fueled the burgeoning wildlife tourism industry. It is also driven by a growing understanding of bottom up conservation. People the world over are more likely to protect animals if the creatures can be woven into their economic well-being. If snow leopards, for example are seen as economic partners not threats. the local people are much more willing to protect them. Snow leopards (Uncia uncia) are under threat and three strategies are evident. The are protected by law from the top down. Governments and agencies do help to mitigate predation loss with payments. They also provide shelter to protect vulnerable livestock. Recently, efforts to help residents develop new profitable skills such as beekeeping have been started. This reduces competition between the cats and livestock owners. Top down conservation, mandated by governments or agencies is evolving into more sustainable conservation efforts.

Another aspect of conservation is modifying behaviors both human and animal. Efforts are underway to protect snow leopards by convincing locals to raise bees rather than livestock, reducing competition

A recently explored Yucatan underwater labyrinth is teeming with life, researchers say after exploring the site,

According to Science Alert the discovery is massive and not very well understood.

It joins a number of other such finds, many in cold Arctic and Antarctic waters that are rapidly expanding our knowledge of sea life.

The labyrinth is formed by a number of underground freshwater rivers whose water flows above the saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico. The area has been known for Mayan relics but is now known for other discoveries.

According to Sciece Alert:

“For the first time, researchers have sampled some of the more inaccessible extremes of these mapped cave systems, which cover 1,500 kilometers (932 miles). They found thriving microbial metropolises within the layers of freshwater sitting on top of the saltwater intruding from the Gulf of Mexico.

Mexico’s Yucatán carbonate aquifer is one of the most extensive groundwater systems on Earth and only some of it has been properly mapped. Its numerous sinkholes, some of which are toxic, as well as its complex web of subterranean tunnels, and its massive caves, provide drinking water for ten million visitors each year and two million locals.”

“These are incredibly special samples of underground rivers that are particularly difficult to obtain,” notes geobiologist Matthew Selensky, who worked on the research while at Northwestern University.” (Links in original)

Researchers probing the oceans have been finding many amazing troves of wildlife. The world’s largest known ice fish nesting ground has been found in the Weddell Sea. It is 92 square miles. Another massive area of sea life has been found near the wreck of the RMS Titanic. That “fountain of life” is based on a volcanic spout about 3,000 meters deep near the wreck. Finally, other researchers have found another unexpected bounty of life elsewhere in Antarctica. One may be millions of square miles in size.

The Yucatan underwater labyrinth is very impressive itself as it mixes fresh and salt water and a bacterial “metropolis.”

Ghost sharks are among the most unusual of sharks. They have made striking adaptations to survive According to Newsweek scientists have found a new ghost shark species. This creature lives in the Andaman Sea off the coast of Thailand. The new ghost shark is one of several dozen members of the chimaera family.

According to Britannica:

“Chimaeras are tapered fishes with large pectoral and pelvic fins, large eyes, and two dorsal fins, the first preceded by a sharp spine. They have slender tails, from which the name ratfish, applied to some, has been derived. There are about 47 species of chimaeras, ranging in length from about 60 to 200 cm (24 to 80 inches) and in colour from silvery to blackish. The species are placed in three families: Chimaeridae (including the species called rabbit fish), characterized by a rounded or cone-shaped snout; Callorhinchidae (elephant fishes), with an unusual, hoe-shaped, flexible snout; and Rhinochimaeridae (long-nosed chimaeras), with an extended, pointed snout.”

Nwswek said:

“Chimaera or ghost sharks—also known as rat fish, spookfish or rabbit fish—are distant relatives of sharks and rays, having diverged from their cousins about 400 million years ago. Ghost sharks living fossils of sorts, as they have retained many primitive characteristics similar to ancient fish species.”

The new ghost shark is one of several unusual sharks that have been in the news lately including the Greenland shark. That shark can live for centuries. Adapted for cold water it has surprised scientists by being found in tropical waters.

India is one of the world’s most populous nations and one of the most dedicated to preservation of its wildlife. Indian wildlife faces threats from expanding population and the habitat loss that come with it. Rare Indian cats now have increased protection according to The Pioneer.

Among its many distinctions is India’s plethora of wild cat species. 15 of the approximately 40 species of wild cats live in India. That is more than any other nation. Tigers (Panthera tigris), leopards (Panhera pardus), and now cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are among the cats India is working to protect. Now two more rare Indian cats are getting increased protection. They are Pallas’ s cat (Otocolubus manul) and the Turkestan lynx (Lynx lynx isabellinus). According to the Pioneer, an Indian news website, the protection is in the form of recognition as migratory species.

“Having unique characteristics and habitats, their inclusion in Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) has been much awaited demand from wildlife experts seeking targeted conservation efforts as the number of both the cats in India are on decline. This would be a significant step toward their conservation and management, particularly in regions like India where information on their distribution and status is limited. Both species, known for their elusive behavior, face various threats, and concerted efforts are required to ensure their survival.” The website said.

“The Central Asian lynx, a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx, is sparsely distributed in regions such as India’s trans-Himalayan area of Ladakh. Sightings of this medium-sized carnivore are rare, and its population appears to be declining. The inclusion of the Central Asian lynx in Appendix II encourages international cooperation for its conservation, leveraging networks established for the protection of species like the snow leopard, with which it shares its habitat.

Similarly, the Pallas’ cat, primarily found in Central Asia but also recorded in regions like Ladakh, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh, faces threats such as habitat loss and poaching. Experts emphasize the importance of targeted conservation measures for these species, especially in areas like Ladakh where they coexist with threats like free-ranging dogs.” the website added.

The two rare Indian cats have very different profiles in the conservation world. Because the Manul has a striking appearance it has begun to attract internation attention. Some call it the “world’s grumpiest cat. The manul genome has recently been mapped. The Turkestan lynx is a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx. The cat is widely distributed but appears to be in decline in India. Eurasian lynx are not endangered, unlike their Iberian cousins. India recently re-introduced cheetahs to the country from which they were driven in the 1950’s.

Extinction seems to be a more fluid concept than it once seemed. Science and Industry are working to “De-extinct” wooly mammoths and Thylacines (Tasmanian Tigers). Meanwhile a number of officially extinct species have been rediscovered. Extinct Java tigers (Panthera tigris sondaica) may be the next to be rediscovered.

According to Phys.org the future of the extinct Java tiger can be said to be hanging by a thread, or in this case a single hair. The hair was found clinging to a fence off of which a tiger was said to have jumped in 2019.

Java, Bali and Sumatra were the homes of the three island tigers. Only Sumatra is known to have a surviving population and it is critically endangered. Bali tigers died out in 1937 and the Java tigers are thought to have been gone since the 1970’s.

According to Phys.org:

“Scientists from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) along with conservationists discovered genetic traces of the Javan tiger in a single hair found near a West Java village in 2019, according to a study published by Cambridge University Press.

“The Environment and Forestry Ministry appreciates the research… there are several actions that we are doing and will do to respond to the results,” said Satyawan Pudyatmoko, head of conservation at the environment and forestry ministry.

He said those measures included setting up camera traps, inviting genetics experts to help authorities conduct further research and tests, and collecting community data.”

Authorities promised that surviving Java tigers would receive immediate protection.

Tigers in the wild face an uncertain future. Many more tigers exist in zoos and private hands than in the wild. The 13 tiger habitat countries have all pledged to try and double the number of wild tigers, currently thought to number under 5,000. Russia, India, Nepal, and Bhutan are among countries with success in tiger . conservation. China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia are among the countries with a bleaker outlook. Thailand, Bangladesh and Malaya have small populations.

India has about two-thirds of the world’s tigers On Sumatra DNA science is being used to help protect the approximately 400 tigers on the island.

Tiger genetic studies have recently changed the way the animals are classified. Instead of 7 to 9 subspecies the field has been narrowed to two. Mainland tigers are Panthera tigris tigris and the island tigers are Panthera tigris Sondaica. The extinct Caspian tiger is now seen to be virtually identical to the Siberian tiger. That animal is now classified with the Bengal tiger and other mainland tigers.

The reclassification may serve to protect any extinct Java tigers found. It could aid conservation. For example, If tigers from India and South China are recognized as genetically identical Indian tigers could be transplanted to China where they are likely extinct.

Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are something of a conservation success story. They are present in all the contiguous states except Delaware. They are common in southern Canada and into Mexico. Northern Canada and Alaska do not have bobcats because of the climate. Hawaii bars them entry. California’s abundant bobcats may be the most numerous in the nation. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) estimates 100,000 live in the state.

Now those bobcats are getting their due as the state is actively studying them and seeking to manage them better. The cats are abundant because of their midsize. Weighing up to 35 pounds they can sustain themselves easily and hide from humans. They are big enough to deter many predators. With a diet that ranges from insects to the occasional deer they are not at a loss for food.

According to CDFW:

“The Department seeks to improve understanding of bobcats in California specific to: 1) population monitoring; 2) species health; and human-bobcat interactions. CDFW continues working to better understand the complexities and capabilities of this native species. Research is vital to applying an adaptive approach to managing their population.”

CDFW was asked to do a statewide population survey. The fieldwork for that survey ended in 2022. A statewide management plan will be completed by January 2025, CDFW said.

California’s abundant bobcats are not without threats. Perhaps the two biggest are traffic and ingestion of pesticides. Commonly used rodenticides can and do cause mange in predators. The famous mountain lion (Puma concolor) P-22 had mange and was successfully treated. The National Park Service (NPS) is also studying bobcats. They estimate about 400 live in the Santa Monica Mountains. Traffic threats are being addressed by CalTrans which is now working to build overcrossings and other wildlife protection into future road development.

Bobcats are one of four members of the lynx family. The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx ) is common throughout Eurasia and is the largest. It can reach 70 pounds. Lynx Canadensis is the Canada lynx and is found mostly in norhern Canada and Alaska. It weighs up to 37 pounds. The Iberian lynx weighs about 30 pounds. It is found is scattered locations in Andalusia and appears to be clawing its way back from the verge of extinction. Only 94 were known to exist in 2002. That number is now 1,663 as of May 2023.

The wildlife overcrossing in Liberty Canyon across the 101 Freeway is making progress. In fact, construction of the cougar overcrossing may result in freeway closures in April.

The overcrossing is designed to provide a safe way for wild animals, including bobcats, cougar, coyotes and deer to navigate the otherwise fatal stretch of road.

According to the Ventura Star CalTrans will do overnight work to finish the next section of the project. The project is officially named after Wallis P. Annenberg. She is a major contributor to the public-private venture. The project arose from a groundswell of public affection for P-22. He was a mountain lion who twice crossed the freeway. His daring earned him a place in many people’s hearts during his roughly 12 year life. Alhough he crossed the freeway twice, he was hit by a car late in his life. Those injuries and other ailments caused officials to capture him and euthanize him.

Cougars in the Santa Monica mountains have been under study by the National Park Service(NPS) for roughly 20 years. More than 100 cougars (Felis concolor) have been studied. Many have died in traffic collisions, some trying to cross the freeway. NPS researchers and other conservationists fear that the freeway will cause local extinction of the cougars.

If they cannot get across the freeway they will inbreed, biologists say, and eventually go extinct. Signs of inbreeding, including kinked tails, are already showing up in local cougars.

California cougars are under both intense study and major threat. CalTrans is working to protect wildlife by factoring in their needs when planning roadwork. The cougar overcrossing construction is one example. The agency is working on a number of wildlife friendly projects in the state. Although the cats are not in immediate danger of local extinction recent research has lowered their estimated numbers, raising some concern.

Florida snake catchers have caught almost one dozen snakes at once by hauling in balls of writhing Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus). According to The Guardian the catch weighed more than 500 pounds. The mating pythons captured brings the total weight of pythons harvested in one part of Florida to over 34,000 pounds since 2013.

The snakes were vying for the right to mate with a female. According to the paper:

“The catch of a total of 11 pythons was a record for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida (CSWF), the Miami Herald reported – and it adds to the total of 34,000lb of pythons captured in that part of the state since 2013.

Pythons, which are native to south-east Asia, made their way to Florida through the pet trade beginning in the 1970s, according to the CWSF. They have since established themselves as the apex predator across the Everglades region and are responsible for a 90% decline in native mammal populations.

“For 10 years, we’ve been catching and putting them down humanely,” CWSF biologist Ian Bartoszek wrote in a post on Facebook.

“You can’t put them in zoos and send them back to south-east Asia. Invasive species management doesn’t end with rainbows and kittens. These are remarkable creatures, here through no fault of their own. They are impressive animals, good at what they do.”

The CWSF found three snakes coiled in one mating ball. There were six in another “writhing’”, 7ft-wide mating ball, the Miami Herald reported. Two more pythons were captured nearby.

According to an article titled Animal Sex: How Snakes Do It on the website Live Science, snakes will form a mating ball in the days after they emerge from hibernation.

“Within the snake mass, each male will try his best to get the female to open her cloaca (waste and reproductive orifice) so that he can insert his penis and mate with her,” Live Science wrote.

“Sometimes, males will resort to force by suffocating the female and inducing a stress response in which she opens her cloaca to release feces and musk – giving sneaky males an opportunity to mate.” (Links in original)

Pythons and other invasive snakes are considered a major invasive threat in Florida. Florida is responding with a variety of measures including an annual hunt. But the recent discovery that the pythons have been cross-breeding is worrisome. It may suggest the hybrids may be better suited to colder weather and may actually begin to move out of Florida to cooler, drier climates. The mating pythons captured does put a dent of 34,000 pounds of snake in the python population.

Invasive wild boar are becoming a huge problem in as many as 35 of the 50 United States. They are also problem overseas in both Italy and Japan. Although not invasive to Japan or Italy feral hogs have become a problem in urban areas in both countries.

Human dietary habits are now being enlisted to help reduce the problem. According to The Cool Down, wild pig is being featured on more restaurant menus. Adventurous chefs are seeking to cook the wily predators to lessen the damage.

According to the Cool Down:

“Chefs in the United States are bringing wild boar to a fresh set of palates, and their practical introduction of the protein could prevent billions of dollars’ worth of damages.

As detailed by the Guardian, more than six million of the feral pigs roam the United States after being brought over by Christopher Columbus in 1493. 

Chef Jesse Griffiths, co-owner of Austin, Texas, restaurant Dai Due, told the outlet that incorporating the game meat into his menu was a no-brainer.

“I think it’s a real easy equation: They’re invasive, they need to be removed,” he said. “The argument for a lot of other game species we eat isn’t as strong, but it is pretty glaring when it comes to hogs.” (Links in original.)The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates wild pigs cause $2.5 billion in damage in the United States. According to the Guardian the agency is now more supportive of bringing invasive wild boar to the restaurant table.

There are other issues with wild hogs. Canadian experimented with breeding a “super pig.” Some of the experimental hogs escaped. The hybrid pigs are better adapted to cold and are causing concern in the northern United States.