Wild Animal News

The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is the largest member of the weasel family (Mustelidae). It has an outsized reputation for strength and ferocity. Until lately it has been missing from much of the southern half of its former range. A state legislator wants to enact a law bringing California wolverines back into the ecological picture.

Wolverines were once common in the Golden State but largely disappeared 100 years ago. According to The Guardian, only two have been spotted in the last century.

The paper said

“Male wolverines walk through huge territories – easily several hundred square kilometers – and this winter’s heavy snowfall in the west may have created “habitat bridges” for the wolverine, Gammons said. The animal could have traveled from the Rocky and Cascade mountain ranges, or from as far away as Canada or Alaska.

Wolverines are members of a diverse group of mammals collectively known as mustelids, which includes weasels, badgers and otters. They are the largest land-based member of the family, famous for their elusive nature, love of snow and ability to punch above their weight. Three feet (1m) long and 15 to 50lb (7 to 18kg), wolverines are compact animals resembling small bears with bushy tails, large skulls and powerful jaws capable of crunching through frozen meat and bone.

These traits, along with their snowshoe-like feet and dense fur, make them highly adapted to snowy arctic and sub-arctic environments. Snow seems to be particularly important to mother wolverines, who consistently choose the deepest snow available to make their dens in snow tunnels or under snow-covered rocks or logs between February and April.”

The paucity of the predator in California may end if a legislator has her way. According to the Los Angeles Times:

“While wolverines are solitary and live at higher elevations, California is part of their natural home territory, and seeing them here shouldn’t be that rare and won’t be in the future if we manage reintroduction carefully,” said Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale), who introduced the California legislation. (Link in original). She sponsored AB2722, the reintroduction bill. She is also running for the U.S. House of Representatives.

Wolverines have been scarce in the lower 48 states, but recent sightings have occurred. They have been spotted in Yellowstone National Park and collared in Utah. Colorado is in the midst of re-introducing wolves to the state. It has been reported that wolverines may be next on the list of returnees.

Researchers recently announced the discovery of a new species of green anaconda and believe the snake may be the heaviest in the world. The new giant anaconda (Eunectes murinus) was found in Ecuador.

Boas, pythons and anacondas are among the largest of snakes. Of the three, green anacondas are the heaviest. According to The Conversation the largest females can be more than 20 feet long and weigh over 500 pounds. Although pythons can top 28 feet they weigh perhaps half as much.

“Green anacondas are true behemoths of the reptile world. The largest females can grow to more than seven metres long and weigh more than 250 kilograms.

The snakes are well-adapted to a life lived mostly in water. Their nostrils and eyes are on top of their head, so they can see and breathe while the rest of their body is submerged. Anacondas are olive-coloured with large black spots, enabling them to blend in with their surroundings.

The snakes inhabit the lush, intricate waterways of South America’s Amazon and Orinoco basins. They are known for their stealth, patience and surprising agility. The buoyancy of the water supports the animal’s substantial bulk and enables it to move easily and leap out to ambush prey as large as capybaras (giant rodents), caimans (reptiles from the alligator family) and deer.”

Up to this time researchers were unaware of the differences among anacondas. The Ecuadorian research made a major discovery. Some of the green anacondas had a genetic divergence of about 5.5 percent. Humans and apes diverge by as little as two percent. The discovery means that the anaconda family tree will need revising.

Although anacondas are not native to the United States they may be part of the invasive species problem in Florida. Florida is home to many avid snake collectors and there is some concern anacondas may establish a breeding population in the beleaguered state. Green anacondas may already be established near Fort Myers. Florida, of course, is already plagued by Burmese Pythons (Python bivittatus) and there is concern the snakes may be on the move.

The nuclear accident at Chernobyl has rendered the area around the abandoned plant off-limits to humans since the 1986 accident. Prior to the current war animal life has been rebounding in part due to human absence. Researchers have been studying the animal life and believe cancer fighting wolves are an adaptation to the aftermath.

According to The Sun researchers have been studying Chernobyl area wolves since 2014 and have concluded the animals have developed genetic mutations that help protect them from forms of cancer. The study results may help humans in their battle with disease.

“New research shows that wolves living in the exclusion zone are genetically different to those living outside of the region.

Evolutionary biologist Cara Love has tracked the wolves’ adaptation since 2014, when she visited the exclusion zone with her colleagues and placed GPS collars equipped with radiation dosimeters around the animals’ necks”

The research has been interrupted by the war. But indications are that the cancer fighting wolves were exposed to about 6 times the daily amount of radiation that would be considered safe for humans. Their genetic makeup was different than that of other wolves outside the area. The cancer fighting wolves had higher amount of cancer resistant genetic material and their immune systems were different too.

Animals are in the forefront of cancer research as some have strong anti-cancer properties or other adaptations, For example, Octopus ink appears to have a compound that kills cancer cells. Certain ants can “smell” some cancers, even though they lack true noses. They can detect compounds released by cancer cells and are cheap and easily maintained. They also learn quickly and respond well to reward training.

If you have been reading this blog regularly you will know that extinction may not be forever anymore if any one of several projects goes through. One of the most promising is the effort to restore the woolly mammoth. A de-extinction breakthrough may be making the return of the colossal animals a little bit nearer.

De-extinction is not the exact recreation of the original animal. What needs to happen is that sufficient DNA from the extinct creature needs to be obtained. The DNA then needs to be inserted as an embryo in a close living relative. If all goes well the newborn will be very close to the extinct creature but not quite identical.

Of the animals under consideration for de-extinction, and there are a few, woolly Mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) are among the best candidates. Many have been found frozen in Arctic regions. They are also closely related to Asian elephants. Creating an embryo and finding a surrogate mother should be relatively easy. Now Colossal Science has announced a break through in stem cells that may make the arrival date closer.

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According to Gizmodo:

“The cells are induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), a type of cell that can be reprogrammed to develop into any other type of cell. The cells are especially useful in bioengineering, for their applications in cell development, therapy, and transferring genetic information across species. Colossal’s new iPSCs are the first engineered elephant cells converted into an embryonic state, a useful development if you’re in pursuit of a woolly mammoth. Or rather, an animal that looks like a woolly mammoth.

“In the past, a multitude of attempts to generate elephant iPSCs have not been fruitful. Elephants are a very special species and we have only just begun to scratch the surface of their fundamental biology,” said Eriona Hysolli, who heads up Colossal’s biological sciences team, in a statement. “The Colossal mammoth team persisted quite successfully as this progress is invaluable for the future of elephant assisted reproductive technologies as well as advanced cellular modeling of mammoth phenotypes” Links in original.

As mentioned, Colossal and other researchers are interested in de-extincting a number of animals, including Dodo birds and passenger pigeons Their work has attracted the attention of the CIA. The agency apparently wants to keep an eye on the emerging technology.

One of the more challenging candidates for a de-extinction breakthrough is the Tasmanian tiger or thylacine. Extinct since 1936 the predator was striped somewhat like a tiger and was an apex predator in Australia. Even though recently extinct, it was thought there was little usable DNA, Recent finds of skeleton and skins may change that. However, the thylacine was the size of a dog. Its nearest living relative is mouselike. That creates serious surrogate birth issues.

Attempts to resurrect species are not without critics. Conservationists alarmed at the risk of extinction faced by many animals are unhappy. They feel the money, time and scientific acumen is better spent on saving animals that exist today.

Colorado citizens approved a hotly debated ballot measure that would permit the release of wolves in the state. When the legalities were finished and the plan finalized wolves began to be released last December. The state has released 10 of a proposed 50 wolves in the project. So far, the new Colorado wolves are roaming widely. That is according to the results of a tracking map that uses the collars on the wolves to pinpoint their location.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has created the map and the data is open to the public. The proposal to reintroduce wolves in the state was popular with a majority of state residents. Strong opposition remains, however. Opposition is strongest among those who raise livestock for a living.

According to CPW:

“Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s ​Collared Gray Wolf Activity Map​ will help inform the public, recreationists and livesto​​​ck producers on where wolves have been in the past 30 days or so. This map will be updated with new information on a monthly basis, produced on the fourth Wednesday of every month, and will reflect data for the prior month, give or take several days. “

The map cannot show exactly where wolves are, CPW said, nor where they are going. It is a generalized picture of their range. Currently all of the wolves in the project are collared. Wolves do enter the state from neighboring states. These wolves will not have collars. As time passes and litters are delivered the proportion of collared wolves will drop. This will decrease the accuracy of the map, CPW said.

A majority of Coloradans approved the idea. Urban residents tend to support wolf re-introduction and outnumber rural residents who often hate wolves. Some even poison them.

Wolves have been killed in Oregon, California and even Italy. Police have investigated and rewards have been offered. It remains difficult to catch the killers. The debate is frequently about livestock losses. Wolves do kill and eat people’s livestock livelihood. Payment for slaughtered livestock is usually offered. The problem is that there is frequently little left of the slain cow, goat or sheep. It is also difficult to determine if they were killed by wolves or died of another cause. Stock owners often complain that the compensation process is often cumbersome and slow.

The African Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus) is still found in many parts of Africa. The bad news is that the habitat of the dogs is fragmented and constricting. African wild dogs are declining in number.

Unlike other members of the canid family these dogs only have four toes on each foot. Another unusual behavior is the size of packs which can number up to 60 individuals.

According to Britannica:

“The African wild dog is long-limbed with a broad flat head, a short muzzle, and large erect ears. It hunts in packs of 15 to 60 or more and is found in parts of Africa south and east of the Sahara, particularly in grasslands. It usually preys on antelopes and some larger game but has been hunted in settled regions for the damage it sometimes does to domestic livestock. The average number of young per litter appears to be about six; gestation periods of about 60 and 80 days have been noted. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies the African wild dog as endangered.” (Links in original.)

The dogs face similar threats as do wolves. They sometimes attack livestock which prompts revenge killing.

The African Wild Dog Conservancy (AWD) is working to save the dogs from extinction. AWD says:

Having lived and worked in the African bush for many years, we believe that investing in people and taking an adaptive grassroots approach are necessary to make wild dog conservation efforts sustainable and indeed truly important to enable those most directly affected. The African Wild Dog Conservancy’s community conservation project is in the biodiversity hotspots of northeastern and coastal Kenya, a rich mosaic of protected areas and community lands under extreme threat. Our approach differs from a number of other projects because we have taken the time to learn why many community-based conservation efforts have not succeeded:

• Our project was started with the support of local people with vision, who recognize that the well-being of wildlife, plants, and people is interconnected, and that healthy ecosystems improve livelihood.
• With this in mind, baseline information on attitudes and concerns is being collected to track project success, document and learn from mistakes, and adapt as needed.
• Time is being taken to build good working relationships with local people based on trust, recognizing that there will be bumps along the road, and that conservation and development are not always compatible. We are striving to interweave traditional skills and knowledge, and cultural and religious perspectives with conservation science, training, and education.” (Links in original).

Colorado is home to as many as 20,000 black bears (Ursus americanus) and the large omnivores often come in contact with people. Even in urban areas like Los Angeles suburbs bears wander into unexpected areas. But conflict with bears appears to be dropping sharply in Colorado.

But according to Yahoo News conflict with bears is down sharply even as the population apparently increases. The secret appears to be a new reporting system that maps bear sightings and interactions. This allows agencies such as the Colorado Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDW) to respond to interactions. It also helps to defuse conflict.

According to CDW (Via Yahoo)

“Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported 3,526 accounts of human-bear conflicts in 2023, down from 4,147 in 2022. Just over half of these interactions last year (1,795) resulted in property damage to sheds, garages, homes, vehicles, fences and other items.”

Of those 1,795 interactions involving property damage:

• 92% were linked to some kind of attractant
• Over 51% were linked to trash
• 20% were linked to livestock, chickens and beehives
• 19% were linked to bird seed, pet food, barbecue grills, coolers and refrigerators

“However, overall bear-human interactions have been down in the past five years. CPW reported last year’s total of bear sightings or interactions is a 21% decrease from 2019.”

The majority of conflict with bears incidents involve bears searching for food. Bear-proof storage is highly recommended for people seeking to avoid conflict with the powerful animals.

Bears have been confronted with people moving into their habitat, resulting in conflict with bears in Japan and the expansion of bears into urban areas in Massachusetts.

One of the major conservation issues in the world is increased animal conflict. As habitat decreases, interaction increases. Perhaps the Colorado system may lead to better ability to avoid conflict.

India is home to about 70 percent of the world’s remaining wild tigers. The country has devoted significan teffort to preserving the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris)The news has been generally good in terms of tiger conservation. Now Indian media reports Odisha tigers have increased in numbers by about one-third.

The Deccan Chronicle says the rise in the tiger population is due to serious conservation efforts. Odisha is a state in India along the northeast coast. It is home to 41 million people.

According to the Chronicle:

“The tiger population in Odisha has increased. At present, there are 30 tigers and eight cubs — all below one year old, revealed the first All Odisha Tiger Estimation (AOTE) report 2023-24. The tiger estimation exercise was conducted by the Odisha government’s forest department. As per the report, of the 30 tigers, a total of 27 unique adult tigers were camera-trapped during the AOTE exercise in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR) other forest ranges. The remaining three adult tigers were seen in parts of the same STR region which were not camera-trapped.”

“Expressing his happiness over the increase in tiger population, noted wildlife activist Dr Gourang Charan Rout said, “Tigers are an integral part of our ecology. It helps check the population of herbivores while maintaining the health of a forest or grassland. When the tiger population grows at a place, it indicates they are now protected in their kingdoms. Tigers help in securing the future for other wildlife.”

India has been working to save tigers since Project Tiger debuted in 1973. That project recently passed its 50th anniversary. The increase in Odisha tigers is a tribute to the lessons learned over the half-century. The success of Project Tiger has led to Project Cheetah. That is perhaps even more ambitious as it is attempting to re-introduce cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) to India where they became extinct in the 1950’s.

Bodily excretions can teach the non-squeamish a lot. According to the Bangor Daily News non-squeamish state biologists are asking residents to send them Maine owl vomit.

The vomit comes in the form of pellets, not a liquid mess. The birds kill and eat small creatures such as rodents. Anything undigestible is sent to the bird’s gizzard where it is formed into pellets and then vomited back up.

World wide there are bout 250 types of owls (family strigiformes). As many as 11 of them live or visit Maine.

Maine owl vomit may teach biologists much. The owl population size, and the health of the owls and their prey could be estimated. Owl pellets can be found on the ground near owl roosts. It is hoped that the pellets can help identify owl prey. Pellets may help in conservation of prey animals that may be threatened. The Maine Owl Pellet Project is a cooperative venture between Maine conservation agencies and related federal agencies.

According to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife:

“The Maine Owl Pellet Project is a collaboration between the University of New England, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The study aims to engage the public and promote crowdsourced science to better understand the diet of Maine’s owls. It will study the distribution and composition of the small mammal community on which they prey. Especially the threatened northern bog lemming to inform conservation efforts.” (Edited for clarity)

“With funding support from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, beginning in 2023 the project will focus on accomplishing its objectives. These include the challenge of detecting the presence of the state-threatened northern bog lemming (Synaptomys borealis). That mammal is a small, brown rodent that is native to Canada and the northern United States, including the state of Maine. It is listed as a state species of special concern. That lemming is found in wetland habitats, including bogs, fens, marshes, and swamps,’ It feeds on a variety of vegetation. Very little is known about the biology and ecology of the northern bog lemming due to its small size, elusive behavior, and limited distribution.” (Edited for clarity)

Meanwhile, on the other side of the country biologists are wrestling with the question whether to kill one owl to save another. The barred owls who will supply Maine Owl vo,it are welcome in Maine. They are, however, interlopers in the Northwest and maybe massively culled.

Thw Jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest cat native to North America. Once relatively common in the American southwest the cat has been driven out. A few seem to be roaming into Arizona and New Mexico. According to the Arizona Star a new Arizona jaguar has just been caught on camera.

This comes at a time when conservation organizations have increased efforts to bring the cats back to the United States. A formal reintroduction petition has been submitted to the United States government.

Jaguars are smaller than lions (Panthera leo) and tigers (Panthera tigris) but usually larger than cougars (puma concolor). The sizes of the two latter cats can overlap.

A few males, perhaps 8, have been spotted in Arizona. But the males are free ranging. Until females start to enter the two states and begin to mate a true population will not exist. Conservationists hope to protect a wildlife corridor between northern Mexico and Arizona to allow the cats to recolonize the state.

According to the news site there is excitement about the new Arizona jaguar:

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“The Tucson-based conservation group Sky Island Alliance on Tuesday released a new image of the spotted cat, this time from one of its motion-activated cameras in the Whetstone Mountains, 60 miles southeast of Tucson.

The photo was captured on Nov. 23, just a little under a month before the same animal wandered past a trail camera in the Huachuca Mountains, roughly 30 miles away, on Dec. 20.

That camera belonged to Vail wildlife videographer Jason Miller, who introduced the new jaguar to the world when he released the footage on his YouTube channel on Jan. 3.

“We’re happy to see this cat moving around and hopefully thriving,” said Louise Misztal, executive director of Sky Island Alliance. “It’s wonderful to see how much the Southern Arizona community cares about these cats. We’re glad to share this good news.”

Sky Island Alliance describes its mssion:

“Our work spans southern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, and northern Sonora. And in collaboration with a network of partners and volunteers, we have ongoing programs connecting wildlife pathways, protecting critical water sources, and bringing together hundreds of people each year to celebrate and help restore the region.”

The alliance is one of many organizations seeking to protect jaguars. Although there may be nearly 175,000 jaguars in the world they are listed as “near threatened.” Habitat fragmentation is a major threat.

Conservationists are seeking to reintroduce thses cats into the United States, protect fragmented habitat and reintroduce them into areas from which they have been driven. A new Arizona jaguar may be a step toward accomplishing these goals.