Giraffe Watch Update: Latest News For April The Pregnant Giraffe [Video]

If you’re one of the millions waiting for April the giraffe to have her baby calf you aren’t alone. When the Inquisitr first reported on April the giraffe, the date was Feb. 14, 2017, and we were told the birth was imminent and giraffe watch was underway. Just like a human birth, when waiting weeks for a baby to be born, anxiety and tension run high. Some people have put their daily hobbies and free time on hold to watch April the giraffe give birth, only to find they wake up the next morning and she is still pregnant. Comments on social media show a sense of impatience beginning to develop with some questioning why millions are waiting more than a week for a giraffe calf to be born.

Me waiting for April the giraffe to have her baby. #AprilTheGiraffe #giraffewatch pic.twitter.com/9QBHeMaMLL

— Kelly G (@kgsmalls_) February 24, 2017

These things take their own time and for those who are feeling frustrated now, there’s no doubt that once active labor begins and hooves are seen, millions are going to flood Facebook and YouTube for the chance to witness the miracle of birth streaming live online. Until then, the Animal Adventure Park (AAP) is providing regular updates on April’s condition through their official Facebook page. You can watch April the giraffe live streaming online in the video player above. If the live feed goes down because AAP loses signal, don’t worry. It will be updated and live streaming will resume.

Giraffe Kisses pic.twitter.com/PLlhcubklk

— Land of cuteness (@landpsychology) February 24, 2017

Update!

As of Feb. 26, 2017, April the giraffe is still pregnant and millions are still watching the birth. The Animal Adventure Park relesed another status update. You may read the latest update below.

AAP is providing daily and nightly updates through their Facebook page. According to the latest giraffe update, April is doing well. Those who watch the live video online often notice the baby moving within her belly. This is a good sign the calf is healthy and active. Here is the current update for Feb. 25, 2017, as posted by the Animal Adventure Park on their Facebook page.

“2/25 Morning Update”

“#GiraffeWatch2017 continues”

“Keepers have reported the continued shedding of the wax caps on April’s teats, increased belly movement, and a bit reluctant to go into the giraffe yard.”

“Looks to be another warmer day so they will have the option of yard usage if they desire.”

“We did welcome twin Black Belly Barbado Lambs this morning about 7:45 am EST. Well, April, you’re next!”

“Please remain vigilant of fake youtube pages of our video content requesting donations. There are also fake gofundme accounts requesting your support and also baby names. We have reported the fraudulent pages, as should you.”

“We will continue to keep you posted with any change in condition.”

Undoubtedly, there is a certain psychology behind humans and their fascination with animals giving birth. Witnessing the miracles of __life is one of the most amazing aspects of the human existence and giraffe births aren’t common. The Animal Adventure Park describes themselves as an educational and learning facility that helps to create awareness of the threatened species. Since April the giraffe’s calf watch has gone viral, the park garnered tremendous support, both socially and financially. Still, some find the park controversial. Last week, animal rights activists attempted to have the live stream shut down by falsely flagging it for nudity and sexually inappropriate content. It’s possible; however, that some flags were related to various comments in the chat room. As April’s story went viral, Internet trolls took to the YouTube chatroom and violated many of YouTube’s terms of services. There are many children who are watching April the giraffe who did not need to be exposed to the lewd comments posted in the chat.

In response to the negative behavior, Animal Adventure Park shut down the YouTube chat portion and all comments on the video, April the giraffe and giraffe watch in general, are now held on the official Facebook page.

Are you anxiously waiting for April to go into labor? Are you part of the giraffe watch 2017 viewing crew? Stay tuned as we’ll bring you the latest news and evening update once it’s posted.

He can't sleep without his giraffe. pic.twitter.com/12S28TE1Af

— Land of cuteness (@landpsychology) February 23, 2017

[Featured Image by Romrodphoto/Shutterstock]

Chimpanzee With Down Syndrome, And Animals That Don’t Have It

On February 21, Springer Link published an article about a chimpanzee with Down syndrome, one of the few animals ever recorded to have the genetic disorder.

The chimpanzee with Down syndrome is only the second reported case in the species, a disorder which is referred to as Trisomy 22.

More specifically, Trisomy 22 involves chromosome pair 22, which is similar to chromosome pair 21 in humans. Human cells have 23 pairs of chromosomes compared to the 24 pairs in apes.

The heartbreaking story of the second chimp in history found to have 'Down syndrome' https://t.co/F0S6hdes2d pic.twitter.com/NpJ41s8oSS

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) February 22, 2017

The report states that the chimpanzee with Down syndrome has infantile cataract and vision problems, which she developed before the age of one. She also has Nystagmus, a condition that causes involuntary eye movement; Strabismus, or a misalignment of the eyes; the chimpanzee also has a progressive thinning of the cornea called Keratoconus, which is the reason the chimpanzee became blind by the time she was 7-years-old.

To add, the Down syndrome in the chimpanzee also resulted in a condition called Hypodontia, which means that her permanent teeth are underdeveloped. She reportedly also has a severe overbite as a result.

But the chimpanzee has a more severe condition, which is referred to as a congenital atrial septal defect, or a hole in her heart wall. A research team determined this when they conducted a chromosomal analysis on the chimpanzee in 2014.

‘Genius’ chimpanzee at Kyoto University in 1993, where one with Down Syndrome resides. [Image by Kyoto University/AP Images]

Born in captivity in 1992, the 24-year-old chimp is named Kanako and resides at the Kumamoto Sanctuary Wildlife Research Centre at the Kyoto University, where she was transferred to in 2011 from a private company.

Science Daily explains Kanako’s case by pointing out the chromosomal differences between chimps and humans where a third copy of chromosome pair 21 is known to cause Down syndrome in humans just like a third copy of 22 does for apes.

The Springer Link article seems to simply confirm that this is, in fact, the second case of Down syndrome reported in a chimpanzee, where the last and first reported cases goes back as far as 1969. At the same time, it also documents the developmental issues impacting the chimpanzee.

It should be mentioned that the first chimp recorded to have the disorder died before their second birthday.

Primates are Animals that resemble humans the most, and so it is likely that any treatment for a congenital atrial septal defect is the same where it would require surgery. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) site, the condition causes the increase of blood flow to the lungs, which also causes more damage to the blood vessels, and, in time, will lead to heart failure.

While a search for other animals with Down syndrome does pull up some results, the claim that tigers, cats and other animals other than primates have the disorder is questionable, according to Broadly, which says that animals that appear to have the look of the disorder have fallen victim to the internet listicle.

The National Human Genome Research Institute, which is a government organization under the National Institutes of Health, posted a question and answer from the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April, 2008, which was over whether animals can get Down syndrome.

“Yes. There have been several chimpanzees found with Down Syndrome. As the syndrome is caused by an extra copy of a specific chromosome (chromosome 21 in humans) only animals closely related to humans have a similar syndrome. Extra copies of other chromosomes cause even more serious syndrome and most are not compatible with life. To study Down syndrome, scientists have created mice that have extra copies of the same genes found on human chromosome 21. These mice have some of the features of Down Syndrome.”

The sanctuary where Kanako resides is the first and the only one of its kind in Japan. The Wildlife Research Centre is the sister institute for the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University. There are reportedly 58 chimps and six bonobos at the sanctuary, which is not open to the public.

It has been reported that her engagement with other chimps has been restricted for fear that interactions with another chimpanzee might become aggressive.

Chris Wise has Down Syndrome and works assorting vocational packets. [Image by Carolyn Kaster/AP Images]

It’s unknown the extent of retardation with Kanako, according to the lead researcher Satoshi Hirata.

“The lack of abnormalities noted in her daily care-taking before the age of one, except for neonatal inactivity and limp limbs, suggests that there was no severe retardation in her behavioral development.”

While there have been cases of inbreeding among humans which led to the disorder, it’s unknown what the causes of Kanako’s disorder are. As mentioned before with experiments on mice, the appearances of the disorder are seen on some animals, but cognitive similarities to humans is unknown.

Kanako has been given the opportunity to interact once a month with another chimpanzee named Roman, who has reportedly been “calm and friendly to Kanako from the start,” according to Science Daily.

The lead researcher of the published paper has devoted his research to the chimpanzee with Down syndrome, along with other primate animals at the sanctuary.

[Featured Image by Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock]

Scientists Answer Question Of Why Killer Whales Have Menopause

Orcas are among the few animals known to stop reproducing once they reach a certain age, but why do killer whales go through menopause like humans do?

A report from The Atlantic looked at the story of the killer whale named Granny, who hasn’t been sighted for the past three months, and is believed to be dead. Granny is one of the 24 whales in the Pacific Northwest group scientists have codenamed J-pod and have studied for more than four decades, and prior to her last sighting in October 2016, she was frequently spotted, and easily identified due to her unique physical features. And while her exact age in years is unknown, researchers believe that she may have been as young as 74, or maybe as old as 105 at the time she disappeared.

Yet, it’s not her old age that has piqued researchers, but rather the fact that she is, or was proof that killer whales do have menopause. In the 40-plus years scientists have observed J-pod, Granny has never given birth, meaning she has yet to reproduce since the first time she caught the attention of human observers. Typically, animals are capable of giving birth even in old age and close to death, and that too applies to elephants, blue whales, and other creatures with exceptionally long lifespans.

There are only three known species of mammals – humans, short-finned pilot whales, and killer whales – that go through menopause. But a new multinational study sought to answer the question of why female orcas stop giving birth once they reach the age of 30 to 40, much like women typically experience menopause between the age of 45 and 55.

Killer whale study may explain the mystery of the #menopause https://t.co/m6fRXDCJKJ #whales #orcas #marinelife #knowtheocean #jpod pic.twitter.com/dkmEYelXve

— Ocean Networks ???????? (@Ocean_Networks) January 15, 2017

“Why females of some species cease ovulation prior to the end of their natural lifespan is a long-standing evolutionary puzzle,” wrote the authors, who published their study this week in Current Biology. “The fitness benefits of post-reproductive helping could in principle select for menopause, but the magnitude of these benefits appears insufficient to explain the timing of menopause.”

The study, which was led by a team of British scientists, looked into 43 years of data from two Pacific Northwest killer whale populations, including the aforementioned J-pod. Based on the data, the reason why killer whales go through menstruation has something to do with female orcas’ relationships with their daughters.

According to the researchers, older mothers who give birth at a similar time as their daughters are 1.67 times more likely to lose their children before they turn 15-years-old, meaning right around the time orcas reach the age of sexual maturity.

A report from the Los Angeles Times explained that this may be because male and female killer whales usually stay with their maternal pod, with males venturing out to mate in other pods before returning to their mothers. That dynamic results in female orcas “being more related” to other whales in their pod over time than her daughters are.

“At the start of her reproductive life, a female’s relatedness to males in her local group is relatively low, because her father is from a different social group. As a female reproduces, her sons will remain in her group, increasing her overall age-specific local relatedness.”

#Drones are added to orca protection zone – https://t.co/LT0iBmbcpD #Whales #Orcas #SalishSea #SanJuanIslands #Washington @oceans

— Chuck Dalldorf (@ChuckDalldorf) January 15, 2017

In other words, this means older female killer whales may rely on their maternal instincts to make sure more members of her pod survive, regardless of how the whales are related to her. But since her daughter(s) aren’t as related to the pod, that leads to mother vs. daughter competition as both try to feed their own respective offspring, with the latter usually outdoing the former. As such, the scientists believe that the strain of competition on older female killer whales may be behind their menopause.

“Models incorporating both the inclusive fitness costs of reproductive conflict and the inclusive fitness benefits of late-life helping (grandmother and mother benefits) may explain why, of all long-lived social mammals, prolonged post-reproductive __life appears to have evolved only in humans and toothed whales,” wrote the authors in conclusion.

[Featured Image by Handout/Getty Images]

Woman Brings Pet Monkey Wearing A Diaper Into Epcot At Walt Disney World, Meets With Pluto

Many people around the world use service animals to help them in the everyday activities of life. Most of the time, a service animal will be a dog or even sometimes a cat. There are those who have even had service animals which have been pigs or goats, but one woman has a monkey. Not only does she have a monkey as her service animal, but she dressed the monkey in a diaper, took it into Epcot at Walt Disney World, and had him meet Pluto.

Yes, this is not a joke of any kind. On Sunday, there was a woman who was visited Epcot park at Walt Disney World as many people do. There is a brand new Festival of the Arts happening for the next few weekends, and guests want to take in all the new happening and sights.

Little did guests at Epcot know that they would see a woman walking around the park with a monkey in a diaper.

I wish I could say this was the weirdest one I’ve seen. RT @WDWNT: There’s a lady with a service monkey at Epcot… pic.twitter.com/91Ww3q68jd

— Nick Cucerzan (@NCucerzan) January 15, 2017

According to WDWNT, the incident took place on Sunday afternoon at Epcot when a woman was walking through the park with a small, enclosed stroller. In that stroller was a small monkey wearing a diaper and attached to a leash.

After walking through the front Future World section, they headed to the back area known as World Showcase. There, Pluto meets with guests at a gazebo set up near the start of the pavilions representing different countries from around the globe.

Pluto was in for a surprise.

[Image by Danny Cox]

As the guests waited in line, the monkey rested on the shoulder of the woman and moved about a little bit. When it was finally their turn to meet with Pluto, Mickey Mouse’s best friend interacted with the guests and even the monkey before posing for pictures.

It isn’t known if the animal was a service monkey or therapy monkey, but Walt Disney World does have strict rules against wild animals being allowed into their theme parks. WDWNT had not spoken with officials at Epcot to find out how the animal entered the park or was allowed to stay in, but it is hard to believe that this was allowed.

The official Walt Disney World website states that service animals are welcome at most locations in theme parks and resort hotels. The definition that Disney has for a “service animal” is one that has nothing to do with monkeys at all.

“At Walt Disney World theme parks and Resort hotels, a service animal is defined as any dog or miniature horse trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability.”

Now, Disney has another page on their official site that speaks of which animals are allowed in their theme parks. This page details the accommodations of the Best Friends Pet Care operation which is on Disney property and can be used to house other types of animals while guests are on vacation.

“With the exception of service dogs, pets are not permitted in the theme parks, Resort hotels or on theme park buses. “

It’s not known what kind of exception or allowance may have been given to the guest to allow a monkey in a diaper into Epcot. For the animal to make its way through the entrance point, though, Walt Disney World cast members had to have seen it and let it go through for some reason.

Disney has said nothing as of yet regarding this situation, but it will be interesting to see if a statement of any kind is released. The rules which are posted on the official Walt Disney World website pretty much state that a monkey should not have been allowed into Epcot or any of its theme parks. Many are not happy that this type of animal went in to meet Pluto or anything, but it happened, and now, it’s out there for all to see.

[Featured Image by Danny Cox]

Bumblebees Are Much Smarter Than You Think, Are Capable Of Problem Solving

Bumblebees may have tiny brains, but they may be smarter – much smarter – than we give them credit for.

A new study led by Queen Mary University of London cognitive biologist Clint Perry has gotten a lot of attention as of late. According to NPR, the idea came about when he was trying to test bees’ problem-solving skills by creating a “vending machine” for the animals.

“I want to know: How does the brain do stuff?,” said Perry. “How does it make decisions? How does it keep memory? And how big does a brain need to be in order to do all of those things?”

Given that bumblebees aren’t known for the size of their brains, Perry created a puzzle for the insects that didn’t turn out to be at least similar to the vending machine he had in mind, but nonetheless put the bees to some sort of test. According to a paper published in the journal Science and cited by NPR, bees may have tiny brains, but all they need to do is to observe a demonstration of a certain task in order to solve a problem it’s connected to.

The study hints that bees can use this problem-solving skill to deal with changes to their environment, including a change of food sources.

Study co-author Clint Perry, a #cognitive neuroethologist at #Queen Mary, points out that bees tutored… https://t.co/NbcWp8xbVo

— SciTech & Bio News (@SciTechBioNews) February 24, 2017

Bee population decline has been a hot-button issue for beekeepers conservationists for several years already. And earlier this year, the previously unthinkable had happened, as the U.S. government declared the rrusty-patched bumblebee as an endangered species. According to the Huffington Post, a number of factors had contributed to its decline, including climate change, the destruction of its natural habitat, pesticide use, and “intensive” farming. The latter in particular was cited as bringing about a lack of crop diversity, leaving bees with less of their usual foods to eat.

But thanks to the new study that suggests bees may be unusually intelligent for the size of their brain, there’s a chance that they may find some ways to deal with the ever-changing environment about them.

In the first test, Perry and his fellow researchers created a puzzle that would require bumblebees to go up to a ball at the center of a platform, with sugar water serving as their reward. The bees were found to have climbed the platform individually, looked around, and sucked up the sugar water, claiming their prize. The researchers then tried to see how the bees would react if the ball was elsewhere on the platform, so they moved it to the edge, with the insects using their resourcefulness to adjust to the situation.

“The bees came out, looked at the center, didn’t have reward. They went to the ball, didn’t have reward. They had to figure out that they needed to move the ball from the edge to the center, and then they’d get reward,”

Subsequent experiments proved what was shown on the first one – bees may not always solve problems the first time around, but they find ways to do it. A second test had the bees changing their routes to get to the sugar water faster, or by dragging the ball and simultaneously walking backward. This took place after the bees had observed another one use the same techniques.

“It wasn’t monkey see, monkey do. They improved on the strategy that they saw,” Perry explained. “This all shows an unprecedented level of cognitive flexibility, especially for a miniature brain.”

World's largest #bumblebee at risk from imported rivals. When will we learn??? https://t.co/VTWWhV7m8K pic.twitter.com/UXvWfHWMM2

— Brigit Strawbridge (@B_Strawbridge) February 23, 2017

Perry added that bumblebees are also able to do other things that few people may have thought are possible, such as counting up to four, pulling strings, and using uncertainty as a variable when making decisions. And it’s all because of how their brains are wired – these brains may have much fewer neurons than a human brain does, but they may be connected in such a way that bees can overachieve and do more than their brain size or neuron count suggests.

In all, Perry hopes that his group’s study inspires humans to help in bumblebee conservation efforts.

“Understanding that bees and different insects have more complex cognitive abilities can allow us to appreciate them more,” he said in quotes published by the Smithsonian. And it might help our efforts to manage living with them a little better.”

[Featured Image by Oli Scarff/Getty Images]

Giraffe Watch: Get Notifications When April Gives Birth Live-Streaming Online

When the Inquisitr first reported on April the giraffe, who lives at the Animal Adventure Park (AAP) in Harpursville, New York, fans were told her birth was imminent. It is imminent, but like any creature about to give birth, unless it is a planned c-section, these things have their own timing.

That was February 14, and viewers have watched and waited for April to give birth and they’re still waiting. There’s no question she will give birth, but for many who are drawn into the live cam, it can be difficult to pull away. You can watch the live giraffe cam in the video above, but be warned. It’s hard to stop watching.

Last night, the Inquisitr reported that live-streaming videos of April had been watched approximately 100,000 times. A new update by Animal Adventure Park owner Jordan Patch shared on Facebook Live stated that extremists falsely reported the video in order to have YouTube shut it down. The tactic worked temporarily, but YouTube restored the video.

Patch also stated that at the time it was taken offline, there were a million people who had watched. The streaming video has gone viral, and at last check, approximately 40,000 people were watching at once. It is also apparent that people are having a hard time looking away for fear they will miss April’s giving birth to her baby giraffe calf live online. There is a solution, and that is to get notifications when April is in active labor and the giraffe calf is about to be born.

You can watch Jordan Patch’s video update that streamed live from the Animal Adventure Park in the video below. In the video, he specifically states that extremists falsely flagged the video and had it temporarily removed.

Giraffes are magnificent creatures, and while people would like to seem them thrive in the wild, their numbers are dwindling. According to Patch, Animal Adventure Park isn’t about profiting from threatened and endangered animals, but about conservation efforts. If you check out the AAP’s videos on Facebook and feedback from visitors and other guests, you’ll see that many who have visited the park in person feel it is an educational facility that promotes conservation, and they support Patch and the Animal Adventure Park staff.

A female giraffe #Kruger #National #Park
South #Africa#safariLIVE
Sunrise #Safari – Feb. 23, 2017 pic.twitter.com/tb1QaVZh5W

— Tommy Buch (@etbuch) February 23, 2017

So what can you do if you’ve been pulled into the internet by April awaiting the birth of her calf, only to find that dinner isn’t being cooked, the kids aren’t getting dressed, and the house hasn’t been cleaned for days? The answer is in the official AAP Facebook page. Patch has stated that when April goes into active labor, not only will the YouTube video stream it, but they will hold a Facebook Live video like the video announcement from this morning.

If you visit the official Facebook page and click like then receive notifications for live events, you can receive notification when they bring that video live. You can also set Facebook to notify your mobile devices, tablets, laptops or PCs audibly so you can go out to the store, pick up the kids from school or go to work without fear that you’re missing out on April’s birth. No judgment, it happens to all of us. Witnessing a giraffe give birth live streaming online is a rare event and an educational opportunity that children can experience. While you can always watch a video of the event later, there’s nothing to replace that moment of witnessing it with others while it is happening.

You can visit the official AAP Facebook site here and set up notifications. Finally, a word of caution to those who are watching the live stream. A number of events have arisen that have interrupted the live streaming broadcast, and these are not limited to the false YouTube flags. When the stream goes down, people have panicked and flooded the Facebook page with messages. If you are patient, you will see that the staff regularly comments on their Facebook page to update the public regarding the current condition of the live stream. You don’t need to message them. Can you imagine if 40,000 people started sending messages at once saying the live stream was down while you were trying to fix it?

If the live stream goes down, be patient. It will be updated. Even if the stream goes down in the video player above, it will be corrected. Don’t worry, you won’t miss it. Set up your notifications with Facebook and you’ll be certain to watch April give birth to her baby giraffe live streaming online.

Meet bea the giraffe, and wilma the ostrich. When they're not playing, they enjoy a quiet seat by the lake together pic.twitter.com/r7po4HUXtj

— United cute (@unitedcute) February 23, 2017

Stay tuned, as after the baby calf is born, there will be a contest regarding the baby’s name.

[Featured Image by FamVeld/iStock/Getty Images]

Mysterious Giant Oarfish Resurfaces in the Philippines -- Is This a Warning of a Megaquake?

The oarfish is perhaps one of the most elusive and mysterious species in the world. Last Wednesday, a giant oarfish washed up in Carmen, Agusan Del Norte, Philippines. This is the second sighting of the deep-sea species in the area, which leads us to the question: is this a sign of an impending megaquake?

In Japan, oarfish (local name ryugu no tsukai) is historically referred as the "Messenger form the Sea God's Palace." This moniker means that the appearance of beached oarfish could foretell an earth-trembling, seismic event, according to Japan Times.

Back in 2010, more than a dozen oarfish washed up in shallow waters before the 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile and the 6.4-magnitude quake in Taiwan.

“Deep-sea fish living near the sea bottom are more sensitive to the movements of active faults than those near the surface of the sea," Kiyoshi Wadatsumi, a specialist in ecological seismology and director of the nonprofit organization e-PISCO, told the outlet.

Early this month on Feb. 8, six oarfish appeared in Surigao City, Philippines. The incident happened two days before a 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit the area, which injured around 200 residents.

However, can the giant oarfish really predict earth-shattering natural disasters?

According to a report from National Geographic, giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne) is a deep-sea animal that thrives in the mesopelagic zone. Growing up to 30 feet long, it's the world longest bony fish and was first discovered in 1772. Very little is known about the species because of its inaccessibility and the rarity of specimen available for scientific research.

Because this creature lives 200 to 1,000 feet below the surface, its appearance in shallow waters means that it could have been pushed by strong currents from a large oceanographic phenomenon.

“It's hard to imagine what sort of phenomenon would occur before an earthquake that would cause these oarfish to leave the [mesopelagic zone] to move towards shore and strand," said Mark Benfield, an oceanographer and ecologist at Louisiana State University.

However, Benfield also notes that if there's an impending earthquake, other marine creatures that live near the ocean floor should surface too. IFL Science theorizes that the recent oarfish sightings could not be an omen of a big earthquake; the animals could possibly be fleeing from small tremors.

The Philippine archipelago is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area in the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are mostly active.

Mindanao, the Philippine island where the oarfish sightings occured, has four major fault lines: the Tagoloan River Fault, the Cabanglasan Fault in Balingasag town, another fault in Alubijid town and the Central Mindanao Fault, Marcial Labininay, Regional Director for Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology-Mindanao, told Sun Star.

Extremely Rare Eyeless Catfish Finally Gets a Name After 40 Years of Waiting

Two scientists from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University have finally given a name to a mini eyeless catfish that was first caught nearly 40 years ago.

The new species, describe in a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, was first caught during the U.S.-Venezuelan Orinoco Delta Expeditions in the Orinoco river, near Ciudad Guyana, conducted from 1978 to 1979.

"We knew what these fish were upon capture," said John Lundberg, PhD, emeritus professor in Drexel's College of Arts and Sciences and one of the author of the paper, in a press release. "But the devil is in the details."

Lundberg, together with the paper's lead author Tiago Carvalho from Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul was able to name and describe the new catfish species thanks to the help from ichthyological collaborators based in Brazil, Alabama and California.

To name the new species, the researchers conducted a careful and thorough examination and comparison of an existing species. The whole process takes some time and having only two available specimens did not make the process go any faster.

The researchers decided to name the tiny catfish Micromyzon orinoco, after the river where the specimens were collected.

M. orinoco is highly elusive and difficult to catch, primary because of their size and location. The larger of the two specimens only measured 15.6 millimeters long, while the other one is just under 15 millimeters. The mini catfish prefers to live at the remote bottom of South America's deep, big rivers, making it more difficult to find because they most probably bury themselves in the sand most of the time.

Due to their environment, which is in complete darkness, M. orinoco evolved to adapt to its harsh neighborhood. The catfish is almost pigmentless and don't have eyes.

The fish is the second known specie under Micromyzon. The first Micromyzon was first discovered by Lundberg and collaborator John Friel in 1993 and was named M. akamai.

Read Also: Weird Animals: Translucent Eyeless Catfish Spotted in Texas for the First Time  

Japanese Zoo Kills 57 Monkeys by Lethal Injection After Discovery of Invasive Alien Genes

The Takagoyama Nature Zoo in Chiba prefecture, Japan, has culled 57 snow monkeys under their care after discovering that these animals are carrying genes of "invasive alien species."

A city official said Tuesday that the animals were killed via lethal injection. The execution lasted over a month and ended in early February, Phys Org reports.

Previous DNA testing revealed that the 57 monkeys were a crossbreed between two primates: the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) and the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata). The former is widely distributed in Asia and is currently banned in Japan while the latter is an endemic species that lives in Japan's northern, snowy mountains -- thus, its local name "snow monkey."

Crossbreed species, such as the snow-rhesus macaque crossbreed, is illegal in Japan after a revision of the country's environmental law in 2013. Execution of the said animal is permitted by law.

Read Also: Monkeys Join List of Animals Who Can Recognize Themselves in the Mirror

An official from the Chiba Prefectural Government told Japan Times that killing of invasive species is done to "protect the indigenous environment." The revised environmental law aims to protect endemic animals from crossbreeding to keep the balance between native and foreign species.

Even though killing monkeys may seem cruel, Junkichi Mima, spokesman for WWF Japan, said it's vital as these animals "get mixed in with indigenous animals and threaten the natural environment and ecosystem.”

Zoos can apply for an exemption to keep crossbreeds, given that they are not classified as invasive species. In the case of Chiba prefecture, however, local government has started to prevent the growing number of rhesus macaque monkeys since 2005.

To appease the souls of the 57 killed monkeys, the Takagoyama Nature Zoo officials held a memorial service at a local Buddhist temple.

Read Also: This Funny Thing Happens in Monkeys and Humans as They Age

400 Million-Year-Old Marine Worm with Terrifying Snapping Jaws Found in Canadian Museum

An international team of scientists found that an ancient fossil stored in a Canadian museum since mid-1990s actually belong to a new species of extinct primordial worm with terrifying snapping jaws.

The new species, described in a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, is considered to be a giant extinct bristle worm, or the marine relatives of earthworms and leeches, that roamed the sea about 400 million years ago.

"Gigantism in animals is an alluring and ecologically important trait, usually associated with advantages and competitive dominance," said lead author Mats Eriksson from Lund University, in a press release. "It is, however, a poorly understood phenomenon among marine worms and has never before been demonstrated in a fossil species.

The fossil, which only contained jaws, first came to the attention of the researchers in 2014. However, the researchers did not think much of the specimen during that time until Eriksson saw the scale bar and thought that the fossil might be the largest known jaws that belong to segmented worms.

Normally, fossil jaws from ancient worms are only a few millimeters in size and need to be studied under a microscope. However, the fossil jaw stored in the Royal Ontario Museum is easily visible to the naked eye, reaching over one centimeter in length.

In comparison with living species, the size of the jaw suggests that its owner has reached over a meter in body length. Just like the giant eunicid species, or colloquially known as "Bobbit worm", the new species use its terrifying snapping jaws to capture their prey and drag it to their burrows.

The researchers named the giant worm Websteroprion armstrongi in honor of its collector, Derek K Armstrong, and the bass player of the death metal band Cannibal Corpse, Alex Webster.

Armstrong collected the fossil in June 1994, during an investigation at a remote and temporary exposure in Ontario. The collected specimens were brought back to the Royal Ontario Museum and has been stored there since then.

War Captives: Last Surviving Animals in Mosul Zoo-Turned-ISIS Base Finally Receive Treatment

Treatment for the last surviving animals of the Mosul zoo has finally arrived after a few weeks of being rescued from ISIS fighters.

According to The Telegraph, Dr. Amir Khalil, a veterinary from Vienna, flew to Iraq to treat the young lion named Simba and a female bear named Lula. The two animals are the only ones that survived after the ISIS turned the zoo into a base for two years.

"The conditions were very bad. It was nearly two months since anyone had entered their cage," shared Dr. Khalil in a report from The Mirror. "More than 40 animals had passed away."

Simba and Lula was found in Mosul zoo earlier this month when the Iraqi troops finally reached the area. Both the animals were filthy and emaciated, making them in dire need of immediate care. Other animals at Mosul zoo either got sick, died or ate each other due to starvation. Some of the animals have escaped and found refuge in neighboring residents.

Read Also: Cats Locked Inside a House Forced to Eat Each Other to Survive 

The young lion Simba suffer from skin lesions and weak joints due to being underfed. Dr. Khalil noted that it was nearly two months since anyone entered its cage. On the other hand, Lula the bear suffered from diarrhea due to nutritional problems, nose excretions and rotting teeth.

This is not the first time Dr. Khalil traveled to war-torn areas to treat and save animals. In 2003, the 52-year-old Egyptian-Austrian vet visited Iraq after the U.S. troops rescued nine lion from one of the palaces of former president Saddam Hussein. Dr. Khalil also traveled to Egypt, Libya and the Gaza Strip to treat animals, despite the huge threat of bombs and ammunitions.

Dr. Khalil's recent trip to Iraq was made possible by the global animal charity Four Paws. Volunteers from Four Paws plan to give the zoo owner enough food and medicine for Simba and Lula that will last for about a month, giving the zoo owner time to find appropriate funding to continue the care for the two animals.

Read Also: Heartbreaking Footage Shows Syrian Heritage Destroyed by ISIS  

Giant Panda Bao Bao Is Bound for China

The adorable giant panda, Bao Bao, is moving to China next week. Bao Bao, whose name means "precious treasure," was born at the Smithsonian National Zoo on Aug. 23, 2013.

As part of the deal between the zoo and the China __wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), all pandas born at the zoo shall be sent to Chengdu, China before they reach the age of four to participate in a breeding program, ABC News reported.

Bao Bao needs two to three more years before she can partake in the breeding program. Until she becomes sexually mature, she would have to adjust to the new environment first.

Her journey to China will start on Tuesday. From the zoo, he will head to Dulles International Airport to begin her 16-hour flight to her new home.

Read: Where is Sunny? Red Panda Goes Missing In Virginia Zoo 

Washington Post notes that Bao Bao will have a private plane carry her to her destination. A metal crate the size of a double bed will serve as her space during the flight. She will be accompanied by a veterinarian as well as the keeper who had taken care of her since day one.

She will also have a mini luggage with 50 pounds of bamboo, two pounds of cooked sweet potatoes, two pounds of apples, 10 gallons of water, honey water and sugar cane.

Visitors and fans are now flocking to the zoo to bid their goodbyes. Bao Bao is only the second panda to be sent to China from the zoo.The first one was his brother, Tai Shan, who moved to China in 2010. 

Other US zoos also have pandas that are on loan from China. The breeding program aims to produce a genetically diverse pool of pandas that could be reintroduced into the wild, The Atlantic notes.

Giant pandas are among the world's most threatened species. There is only less than 2,000 of them in the wild.

Huge Chunk of Forest Elephants Die From Poaching in Their Supposed Haven

Despite being great and majestic creatures, elephants find themselves constantly threatened by poachers who want them for their ivory tusks. The forests of Gabon, Africa is supposed to be their safe haven, but a recent study published in Current Biology revealed that the forest elephants are dying out even in this corner of the world.

Scientists focused their study on the isolated Minkébé National Park (MNP) in Gabon, which was created primarily to be a sanctuary for forest elephants.

Nearly half of Central Africa's forest elephant population were believed to be in this national park, but the team found that more than 25,000 of the creatures have died between the years of 2004 and 2014. Declining from around 35,000 in 2004 to just 7,000 in 2014, the 78-81 percent population drop over the decade is an alarming phenomenon that is thought to be due to cross-border poaching.

"[This is] one of their last strongholds," George Wittemyer, an elephant conservationist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins who was not part of the study, told Science Magazine. "Their last bastions are now being eroded."

Read: Hurray! China Announces Complete Ban on Ivory Trade by 2017  

Forest elephants are different from the savannah or bush elephant that also lives in Africa. According to a report from The Atlantic, the former is much more elusive with ivory that has a pinkish tint and prized by poachers and collectors.

Because they are so difficult to get a hold of, the scientists came to their conclusions by counting piles of dung, converting them to elephant numbers in 2004 and 2014. The results were a surprise to the scientists who weren't expecting such a steep decline in numbers.

"It was an enormous shock," John Poulsen, co-author from Duke University, said. "To be quite honest, I would have guessed that other studies had overestimated the loss. I was expecting a decline, but I didn't expect it to be that high."

Poachers from Cameroon make their way to Gabon despite military presence. Commercial logging is one of the main threats to the elephant population, bringing in more people to the area and giving way to roads that lead hunters straight to the home of forest elephants.

Graphic Crocodile Attack Video Shows Moment Animal Trainer’s Arm Bitten In Half As Onlookers Gasp In Horror

A man escaped with his __life after a vicious crocodile attack left his arm broken in half. The gruesome moment was caught on tape by an amateur videographer.

Sumet Thongkhammuan is an animal trainer at the Bung Boraphet “Show of Crocodiles” in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand. During a New Year’s Eve 2017 show, he was brutally mauled by a large reptile as he teased the animal with his arm.

The trainer is seen on video prodding the croc with a stick while he stood just feet away. Then, while the animal’s mouth is agape, the man gets on his knees and shows his arm to a crowd of onlookers.

Next, the unthinkable happens: the crocodile attacks the man’s arm by locking onto it with its deadly jaws. An audience member, Duangruedi Di Satefano, recorded the entire attack using her mobile phone.

Horror in Thailand as Crowd Watches Crocodile Snap Trainer’s Arm in Half During Show [Video] – https://t.co/zloSULYm8u pic.twitter.com/BVPQvSG2a5

— Golden State Haunts (@GsHauntsEvents) January 4, 2017

After the crocodile locks its jaws down on the struggling man’s arm, it flips him over in a move called the “death roll.” It’s a maneuver crocodiles use in the water to drown their victims before moving in to consume them. Moreover, the reptiles swallow their food whole; their mouths are not designed to chew food.

Moments later, the man manages to free his arm from the crocodile’s rows of teeth. The footage showed him holding up his mangled arm that appeared broken in half. He held it up above his heart and walked away for medical treatment. His hand appeared to just dangle, as Di Satefano describes.

“It was very scary. The man’s hand was broken in half. He was very lucky to still be alive.”

The crocodile attack is Thailand’s third incident in less than a week. In another near-deadly encounter, a trainer was attacked when a crocodile bit down on his wrist. Ironically, he mimicked the animal’s roll to break free. And in the third attack, a woman visiting from France was taking a selfie when she was mauled by a crocodile.

A crocodile exhibition performer poses for tip with his head in the croc’s mouth. Thailand pic.twitter.com/bU3HlDItUk

— Sean Newsome (@allstatsaremade) January 27, 2014

National Geographic reported about a 2012 study that claimed crocodiles have the largest bite pressure of any known living animal. What is more, data suggests that a croc’s chompers may have rivaled those of a Tyrannosaurus rex (or T.rex).

Lead study author and paleobiologist, Gregory M. Erickson, and other researchers looked at the bite ratios of 23 other living reptiles in the crocodilian family. The results were staggering.

Saltwater crocodiles are the largest living reptiles — and most ferocious — according to Nature. Adult males can reach 20-feet-long and weigh over 2,000 pounds. Results from the study showed bite pressures of 3,700 pounds per square inch (psi) which equals 16,460 newtons.

A newton (N) is named after mathematician Sir Isaac Newton. Encyclopædia Britannica defines the measurement as “the absolute unit of force in the International System of Units (SI units). It is defined as that force necessary to provide a mass of one kilogram with an acceleration of one meter per second per second.”

“We tested several 17-foot [5-meter] saltwater crocs. If you scale the results up to 20-footers, you get estimates of 7,700 pounds [34,250 newtons], which is the low end of T. rex bite-force estimates.

Erickson says that to get an idea of how much power the extinct T.rex had in the form of its bit, one only has to examine today’s crocodile.

The American alligator is a close cousin of the crocodile. However, there are some distinguishing features and traits that set them apart as Nature explains. For one, the alligator’s snout is round whereas the crocs’ is elongated.

Although both apex predators are carnivores, crocodiles are the only of the two known to prey on humans. With that said, the trainer is lucky things didn’t go worse for him during the show.

[Featured Image by pailoolom/iStock by Getty Images]

February Is Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month, Is A Pet Rabbit Right For You? [Video]

According to the Houe Rabbit Society, February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month, but is a pet rabbit right for you? Cute and cuddly, rabbits are often given to children as Easter or springtime gifts, but sadly, not everyone is ready for the commitment caring for pet rabbits entail. Some are unaware that many rescue shelters, such as the nationwide network the Humane Society, often have rescued rabbits in need of forever homes. Adopting a rabbit isn’t a decision that should be made lightly. After learning about rabbits and determining if they are the right pet for you, the choice needs to be made whether to buy or adopt. Adopting rescued rabbits provides many advantages to purchasing and helps save rabbits in need of a loving, caring home. Watch the videos in the playlist above to learn more about pet rabbits, what type of care they need, and whether a pet rabbit is right for you and your family.

We are hoppy to report that February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month! The Houston SPCA always has somebunny looking for a new home. pic.twitter.com/C7HDfOl3m3

— Houston SPCA (@HoustonSPCA) February 8, 2017

Adopting rescued rabbits provides benefits both for the pet and the owner when compared to buying rabbits. Rescued rabbits are spayed and neutered, and new owners won’t need to worry that their rabbits will reproduce. Many rescued rabbits are microchipped, making this a cost-advantage adoption when compared to the expense of spaying or neutering and microchipping a new bunny. Because rescued rabbits often receive individualized attention, love, and care, they may be more socialized than rabbits found in pet stores. A socialized rabbit means a friendlier pet that may adjust easier into a new home. Those who have decided a pet rabbit is right for their children should select rabbits that are socialized and gentle. A rabbit purchased from a pet store may have aggression towards children when introduced in the family environment. Let children handle rescued rabbits before adopting to oversee the rabbit’s temperament and personality.

It's Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month! #Rabbits are wonderful companions. #Adopt from a rabbit rescue group or animal shelter! pic.twitter.com/3Ia13V0l1c

— The Pet Lady (@petladyworld) February 8, 2017

When adopting a rescued rabbit, the pet is often litter trained This is a huge benefit for those who are new to rabbit care and might not realize how messy rabbits can be. Some choose to keep rabbits outdoors, but for those who want to ensure the pet rabbit is part of the family and lives indoors, having a litter trained pet rabbit is essential. Integrating a pet that is already housebroken saves time, trouble, and frustration. Adopting a rescued rabbit also ensures your new pet has received veterinarian care and is in good health.

When bringing a new pet into the home, whether it is a rabbit or another animal, means there is a time of adjustment for the animal. Ensuring that your pet rabbit has a routine similar to what he or she is accustomed to can help your rabbit acclimate quickly. When you adopt a pet rabbit, you will know what foods, vegetables, hay types, and routine has been established for your pet. While you are free to make any changes to the routine, you can use that information to slowly ease your pet into his or her new environment without any sudden shocks. This can help keep your pet calm and make the adjustment period smooth and trouble free.

Did u know february is Adopt a Rescue Rabbit month? Mum volunteers wif one so she likes to spread info! #adopt #rabbits @bunnyobserver pic.twitter.com/zDNw2Cbn0t

— Lucy Bunbun (@LucyBunbun) February 9, 2017

Rabbits are high maintenance pets and can be very skittish when first introduced to a new environment. Those who have children in the home should make certain that they are supervised when handling their new pet. When you first bring a rabbit into the home, keep the area quiet and calm. Let rabbits initiate contact and seek out family members on their own. This will help reduce fear in the animal and help the bonding process. Make certain to rabbit-proof all areas the rabbit will have access to. Though rabbits are not starter pets, they can be a wonderful addition to any family. Take the time to learn what rabbit care involves and adopt rather than buy.

[Featured Image by Soultkd/Shutterstock]

Eagle Cam In Florida: Second Egg Not Expected To Hatch — But More Eagle Cam Sites Are Preparing For Eggs

Since the end of November thousands have been observing two nesting American bald eagles on the eagle cam in Florida. Per ABC 11, it was on November 22 and November 25 of last year that the American bald eagles at the eagle cam site in Florida laid two eggs.

E9 – one of the eaglets – hatched on New Year’s Even at 7:33 a.m. Eagle experts, however, do not believe the other egg is going to hatch. Fox 5 reports the family will likely remain a family of three as the average window during which an American bald eagle egg hatches is between 34 and 40 days.

UPDATE on Egg 1- Today is day 41 for the egg & still no pip. The avg. hatch window is 34-40 days so it is doubtful the egg will hatch.

— SWFL Eagle Cam (@SWFLEagleCAM) January 2, 2017

According to the Facebook post on the page dedicated to the eagle cam site in Florida, there are a few different things that could happen to the unhatched egg. The adult eagles could move the egg off to the side of the nest, bury it, or they could even eat it. The unhatched eagle egg would be a huge dose of calcium for the adult eagle that consumes it.

American Bald Eagle [Image by Collins93/ShutterStock]

E9 – the eaglet that did hatch – has become quite the sensation on the internet since hatching. Those watching the eagle cam in Florida, have seen both parents bonding with the eaglet and providing it with a steady stream of fresh fish and other food.

Millions of viewers have turned into the eagle cam site in Florida since it was established in 2012. When the eagle cam in Florida was originally launched, Harriet – the mother eagle – was with her previous mate named Ozzie.

Ozzie and Harriet were together for more than two decades. Ozzie passed away in September of 2015 after getting into a fight with another male American bald eagle. While no one knows for sure, it was believed to be M15. Ozzie passed away two days after the fight occurred.

American Bald Eagle about to take flight. [Image by BILD LLC/ShutterStock]

While American bald eagles are known to mate for life, it is not uncommon for a bald eagle to take a second mate if the first one disappears or passed away.

After an accident involving a car a few months before Ozzie passed, the male bald eagle spent some time in an animal hospital for rehabilitation. While Ozzie was healing, several other male bald eagles attempted to replace him as a new mate for Harriet. When Ozzie returned from rehab, there were several altercations with the male bald eagles which resulted in his death. A month after he passed away, Harriet and M15 bonded.

A live stream of the Florida eagle cam can be viewed below.

Per CBS Pittsburgh, there are other eagle cam sites that appear to have nesting eagles preparing to lay eggs. Both the Hays and Harmar bald eagle came sites are up and running as people start to tune in to see more American bald eagles lay eggs and raise eaglets.

The eagle cam located at the Hays nest is a collaborative project between Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania and PixController. The eagle cam at the Harmar nest is owned by ASWP.

American Bald Eagle close-up. [Image by Michal Ninger/ShutterStock]

Per the Audubon Society Operations Director Brian Shema, the cams at both eagle cam sites have been replaced in order to give viewers an even better view of the eagles then they had last time.

“At the Hays site, down on the Monongahela, we’ve upgraded to high-definition cameras, so viewers can see a much clearer, more vivid picture than they’ve done in previous years. At the Harmar nest, because the camera’s located so far away from the body of the nest, we’ve upgraded to a higher zoom camera, so we can zoom a bit closer to the nest.”

Will you be tuning in to the other eagle cam sites that are starting to prep for laying and hatching eggs? Have you been checking in on Harriet, M15, and their new eaglet? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section found down below.

[Featured Image by Wang LiQiang/ShutterStock]

Tilikum, The Orca Featured In The Documentary ‘Blackfish,’ Has Died, SeaWorld Confirms

Tilikum, the orca (or, as they’re sometimes called, “killer whale”) featured in the damning documentary Blackfish, has died, SeaWorld announced Friday.

As USA Today reports, Tilikum had been with SeaWorld for 25 years, having come from the Sealand of the Pacific park in Canada in 1991. He is estimated to have been about 36-years-old.

Tilikum was estimated to be about 36 years old. [Image by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images]

As of this writing, Tilikum’s cause of death has not been officially determined, but a necropsy has been planned. Tilikum had been undergoing treatment for a persistent and complicated bacterial infection in his lungs.

In a statement made available via the New York Daily News, SeaWorld expressed sadness at the death of the beloved animal.

“While we all experienced profound sadness about that loss, we continued to offer Tilikum the best care possible, each and every day, from the county’s leading experts in marine mammals.”

Back in 2010, Tilikum and his trainer, 40-year-old Dawn Brancheau, were interacting in front of a crowd at SeaWorld’s Shamu Stadium when he grabbed the trainer by the ponytail and pulled her under the water. As ABC News reported at the time, as the horrified audience looked on, Tilikum thrashed the woman back and forth in his mouth. An autopsy would later reveal that she suffered fractures to her jaw, part of her vertebrae, and several ribs. The attack also dislocated her elbow and left ear, and tore off part of her scalp. A medical examiner later determined that she died from drowning and multiple traumatic injuries.

“#DawnBrancheau believed in the ethical treatment of animals and was proud of her work as a trainer.” ❤️ #SeaWorld #StandWithSeaWorld pic.twitter.com/EyFxGWnscH

— Nina Marie???? (@Tricorow) December 11, 2016

It was not the first time Tilikum had been involved in the death of a human.

In 1991, when he was at Sealand in Canada, trainer Keltie Lee Byrne fell into a tank where Tilikum and two other orcas were being held. Bryne was found dead some time later; a coroner’s inquest later determined that the animals kept her from climbing out of the tank. And in 1999, when Tilikum was at SeaWorld, Daniel Dukes, 27, broke into the park after hours, wandered around the park, and made his way to Tilikum’s tank. There, he stripped down to his underwear and climbed into the 50-degree water. He was found dead the next morning, naked and lying across Tilikum’s body. A medical examiner determined that Dukes died of hypothermia from the frigid water.

Byrne’s death raised questions about the ethics of keeping orcas in captivity. Those questions were explored in the 2013 documentary Blackfish.

2016 Number 1 #Netflix #Documentary#BLACKFISH@GazetteReview https://t.co/lrFc7Hbzb4#Orcas need seaside sanctuary#WhalesWithoutWalls pic.twitter.com/W3w1ga2pPQ

— Orca S※O※S (@OrcaSOS) December 26, 2016

Focusing largely on Tilikum, documentarian Gabriela Cowperthwaite begins the movie with footage of Tilikum’s capture off the coast of Iceland and his harassment by other orcas at Sealand. Cowperthwaite posits that Tilikum’s treatment by other orcas, as well as being held in captivity (particularly in small environments where he had little room to move around), contributed to his aggression, which ultimately led to the death of Brancheau.

SeaWorld denied many of the claims made in the movie, but the damage was done. Attendance and revenue plummeted at SeaWorld parks, particularly in Orlando, where Tilikum had been held, according to Bloomberg. Cowperthwaite pinned that trend squarely on the aftermath from Blackfish.

“It’s likely people are realizing that nothing at that place is what it seems. The jig is up.”

Since Blackfish, SeaWorld has announced plans to phase out its orca shows. The orcas currently residing in SeaWorld parks are the last generation of orcas; once the last has died, they will not house any more in their parks. The company also plans to end its orca breeding program.

[Featured Image by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images]

Woolly Mammoth To Be Resurrected? Scientists Working On ‘De-Extinction’ Effort

The woolly mammoth went extinct around four millennia ago, according to the Guardian. However, while it may sound as though it is straight out of a Jurassic Park script, scientists now claim to be close to “resurrecting the ancient beast in a revised form.”

According to the Guardian, when it comes to creatures that are alive on the planet today, there is none more similar to the woolly mammoth than the Asian elephant. Back in 2015, George Church of Harvard University, who is leading a team of scientists behind the effort to “de-extinct” the woolly mammoth, told the Huffington Post that the two animals are so compatible that they would be able to breed with each other today, if the mammoth were still alive.

Church recently delivered comments on the “de-extinction” plan before the yearly American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting, according to the Guardian. The Asian elephant will play a key role in the effort to resurrect the woolly mammoth, or at least the effort to create an elephant that carries certain mammoth traits, such as “shaggy long hair” and “thick layers of fat,” according to New Scientist.

The woolly mammoth is close to being resurrected https://t.co/xVXJhRUQhy pic.twitter.com/wq9q5J4Yq4

— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) February 16, 2017

For now, Church and his team are incorporating some of the woolly mammoth’s “genetic traits” into the “genome of the Asian elephant,” per New Scientist. Currently, according to New Scientist, there have been “45 mammoth-like edits of DNA [that] have been spliced into the Asian elephant genome.” The effort to resurrect the woolly mammoth reportedly began during the year 2015, according to the Guardian, but thus far, Church and his team have only worked up to “the cell stage.”

According to New Scientist, Church claims that the future goal is to fashion “a hybrid embryo,” which would, for all intents and purposes, equate to an “elephant embryo” that contains a few of the “mammoth’s genetic traits.” Per New Scientist, Church believes he and his team may only be two years away from creating such an embryo. The Guardian claims that some have already dubbed the potential hybrid creature “a mammophant.”

“The creature, sometimes referred to as a ‘mammophant’, would be partly elephant, but with features such as small ears, subcutaneous fat, long shaggy hair and cold-adapted blood. The mammoth genes for these traits are spliced into the elephant DNA using the powerful gene-editing tool, Crispr.”

According to New Scientist and the Guardian, Church and his team hope to accomplish this project in a laboratory using an “artificial womb,” as opposed to having a living female elephant carry the embryo. The technology does not yet exist, and Church admits that by not using a live surrogate mother, the effort to bring the woolly mammoth back may not be a success, according to New Scientist. According to the Guardian, Church claims that his lab is currently able to develop “a mouse embryo in an artificial womb for 10 days.”

Some will naturally wonder whether or not it would be a good idea to resurrect the woolly mammoth, with many already pointing out “ethical concerns” of such an endeavor. Per the Guardian, University of Manchester zoology professor Mathew Cobb points out the mammoth “was a social animal,” much like the Asian elephant is today. Cobb questions how other elephants will react when the “mammophant” is presented to the world.

Scientists on brink of bringing extinct woolly mammoth back to lifehttps://t.co/EN8Q0CgWaa pic.twitter.com/NRdft3DGi1

— Mirror Tech (@MirrorTech) February 16, 2017

According to Church, as both the Guardian and New Scientist report, one reason for bringing the woolly mammoth back it to possibly provide an “alternative future” for the Asian elephant. The Asian Elephant is currently on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of endangered species. Church also claims that resurrecting the woolly mammoth could help fight “global warming,” as the creature “punch[es] through snow and allow[es] cold air to come in,” therefore protecting the tundra from thaw, according to the Guardian and New Scientist.

According to the Guardian, the reason behind the mammoth’s extinction was likely due to a mixture of “climate change and hunting by humans.” What do you think about the effort by Harvard scientists to resurrect the woolly mammoth and create a “mammophant”?

[Featured Image by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images]

February Is ‘Beat The Heat Month’ And You Can Spay And Neuter Cats At A Discount

February is Beat the Heat Month, and it has nothing to do with the weather. Beat the Heat is orchestrated by PetSmart Charities and is an orchestrated, joint effort with humane societies, clinics, and shelters to provide low-cost spay and neuter services for dog and cat owners. Those who want to spay or neuter their cats and dogs before spring and summer will find that February is the perfect time to get pets fixed at an affordable price. Clinics nationwide have partnered with PetSmart Charities and participate in Beat the Heat Month. Check the website for information and participating clinics in your local area. Watch the videos in the playlist above for more information regarding spaying and neutering pets and the benefits of doing so. According to PetSmart Charities, they have subsidized more than 1.4 million spay and neuter surgeries since 2009.

You can “beat the heat” of Kitten Season if you spay and neuter cats before warm weather. #spayneuter pic.twitter.com/QirfmxUAl6

— Alley Cat Allies (@alleycatallies) January 19, 2017

Though both cats and dogs can be neutered and spayed, PetSmart Charities launched Beat the Heat Month as a specific way of targeting homeless cat populations. While dogs and cats both give birth during the same time of year, cats tend to have larger litters than dogs, making the number of homeless cats significantly higher than stray dogs. In 2013, PetSmart Charities addressed the problem of unwanted, unloved and homeless cats in a blog post and launched the Beat the Heat program. Today, many clinics and shelters nationwide still participate in community events to help ensure pets are neutered and spayed. Check with your local Humane Society, ASPCA, clinics, and shelters to find those that are participating in Beat the Heat Month this year.

Beat the heat $20 spays for cats this February & more news! > https://t.co/hdUTNuSgIL pic.twitter.com/ksK6MoXpLj

— Kent Animal Shelter (@KentAnimal) January 28, 2017

The best way to find out the price of having your pet spayed or neutered is by contacting your local shelters and clinics either in person, via the phone, or online. The ASPCA takes Beat the Heat beyond the pet owner to those who are actively petitioning grants and funds so that local communities will spay cats before they come into heat. You can find resources, tips, and strategies for those who would like to implement Beat the Heat programs in their communities at the ASPCA official site.

Beat the Heat and low-cost spay and neuter programs aren’t just for rescued, shelter cats, or those in forever homes. Many communities have launched feral spay and neuter programs to control homeless cat populations. Many people are simply unaware of the services available within their own communities. Begin by checking with your local branch of the Humane Society to determine what programs and services are available. You may find a directory of state resources websites and local Humane Society branches at the official site.

Spay and neuter programs provide benefits for all including cats and dogs, pet owners, feral cats, and communities as a whole. One cat can have multiple litters per year, and kittens can become pregnant at 9-months-old. If one cat reproduces and has 12 cats per year, it’s easy to see how quickly the homeless cat population can explode. Japan’s Cat Island is a perfect example of how cats can literally multiply to the point they easily outnumber other species. Watch the video below of Japan’s infamous Cat Island

RT Gen2050 our new #spay #neuter #infographic #cats #petoverpopulation #pets pic.twitter.com/Ik5XquLhSm

— Junior Rodriguez (@judoclubmestre) November 17, 2015

Spaying and neutering cats provide many health benefits and advantages. Cats that are spayed or neutered tend to live longer than other cats. There is also a lowered risk of pets becoming injured or killed due to roaming. Cats that are spayed or neutered are often content remaining in the home.

Awesome infographic done by the @dogIDs team for "Spay Neuter Awareness Month" http://t.co/EERxMFMvsZ pic.twitter.com/uSU9mSFozk

— Clint Howitz (@dogIDsCEO) February 25, 2015

The benefits for community cats with programs like Beat the Heat or trap-spay-neuter-release are immense. Reducing the homeless cat population means fewer cats that ultimately end up in rescue missions and shelters. Feral cats are not properly socialized with humans and often make poor family pets. By reducing the number of cats born in the wild and spaying or neutering pet cats, the chances of every cat having a loving, forever home increases.

“@HumaneAlliance: Fantastic #infographic about #feralcats pic.twitter.com/hc2F0aU0JO” Do the right thing. #spay #neuter all pets !

— Project Pets SNL (@ProjectPetsSNL) November 29, 2014

[Featured Image by Vladimir Konstantinov/Shutterstock]

Five Live Streaming Eagle Cams You Can Watch Right Now Online [Video]

Eagle season is here and there are 10 live streaming eagle cams that you can watch online. The playlist above features some of the most popular eagle cams that are live right now. The eagle cams come from different regions and the eagles are in different stages of their nesting season. Some eagles, such as with the Southwest Florida eagle cam have eggs that have hatched and chicks that are soon to fledge. Other eagles are still in the nest building stage while others are in the process of laying eggs. You can toggle through the playlist above and click on each eagle cam to watch the live activity. While the eagle cams are up and running 24/7, the quality of each video for night viewing varies. Here are five live eagle cams that you can watch right now with a bit of information about each nest, the eagles and the cams’ operators.

1. Southwest Florida Eagle Cam

Located in North Fort Myers, Florida, the Southwest Florida Eagle Cam is operated by Dick Pritchett. He not only runs multiple cams that stream 24/7 but has a website and active chat room where bald eagle experts address questions. According to the official website, Pritchett began streaming the eagle’s nest in 2012 following a mated bald eagle couple named Ozzie and Harriet. Ozzie died and Harriet mated with another eagle named M15. Harriet and M15 raised a clutch during the 2015-2016 season. This is their second clutch. Though Harriet laid two eggs, only one hatched. The eaglet’s name is E9 and he or she hatched on Dec. 31, 2016. Countless people have tuned in to watch E9 grow over the past few months and are waiting for the day E9 takes flight.

Bald eagles are seen in a nest. [Image by Darren Gidney/Thinkstock]

2. Earth Conservation Corps (ECC) and the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC (MPDC) Eagle Cam

The ECC, MPDC eagle cam is a joint effort between Earth Conservation Corps and Washington D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department. The eagle’s nest is the longest to have been broadcasted in D.C. and is home to mom Liberty and dad Justice. There is an official website that gives the backstory on the cam as well as updates it has made over the years. This marks the ECC, MPDC’s seventh year broadcasting. Liberty and Justice are currently incubating two eggs and viewers are watching to see if there will be a third.

A pair of bald eagles perched in a tree. [Image by Charlie Floyd/Thinkstock]

3. Dale Hollow Eagle Cam

According to the Dale Hollow Eagle Cam official site, the live cam has operated since 2014. The streaming eagle cam is a joint effort from the Friends of Dale Hollow Lake, the Dale Hollow Lake Marina Operator’s Association, Twin Lakes TV, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mom and dad are incubating three eggs. You can see photos from the eagle cam site here. Watch the live streaming cam below. The Dale Hollow eagles are expected to hatch around Feb. 20, 2017.

4. Avon Lake Bald Eagles

The Avon Lakes Bald Eagles web cam automatically refreshes every hour. You also have the option to rewind the live stream. During the night the live cam is very dark, but it has clear visibility during daylight hours. The eagle’s nest is near Cleveland, Ohio and is located in a tree near Redwood Elementary school. The eagles’ names are Stars and Stripes. The Avon Lake Bald Eagles are still in the nest building stage and haven’t laid eggs yet.

5. Duke Farms Eagle Cam

Duke Farms is a privately owned estate that expands 2,700 acres in Hillsborough, New Jersey. In 2005, the owners of Duke Farms spotted the eagle’s nest on the undeveloped property. In 2008, they set up the eagle cam and had planned to regularly stream the eagles. Unfortunately, the original bald eagles’ nest, cam and even the tree where the cam was established were destroyed during Hurricane Sandy. In 2012, the eagles built a new nest and (the father eagle is banded by the state of New Jersey, so they are certain it is the same bonded eagle pair), by 2013, a new cam was set up and live streaming resumed. There is a Facebook group called Friends of Duke Farm where people discuss activity they’ve witnessed through the bald eagle cam. You can also find more information at the official website: Duke Farms Eagle Cam.

[Featured Image by Striking Photography/Shutterstock]

WATCH: Trio of Gray Whales Engage in Complex Courtship Ritual

The life of whales is still quite mysterious, so the footage of three whales swimming and rolling over each other off the coast of Newport, California quickly attracted a slew of spectators both live and online.

As shown in a video (see below), dolphins linger nearby, but the massive gray whales stole the show as they engage in a rarely-seen interaction. The video was captured by photographer and drone operator Mark Girardeau, who spotted the scene from a Davey's Locker charter boat, according to a report from Mercury News. Whales migrate south annually to the warm waters of Baja, but this trio wasn't on the typical migration path that most of them usually take.

Girardeau said that the whales look like they were "on a mission" due to their position. One of the whales was going sideways while the other was on the opposite direction.

"The whales almost came close to the boat because they were flipping and turning around. The whales didn't seem to be distracted at all by our presence," he described the sight.

Originally, the whale watchers believed that they were witnessing the whales mating. After all, mating in threes -- two males and one female -- is a typical situation in whales. However, a report from National Geographic revealed that the footage actually showed three whales engaged in the act of courtship, not mating.

Christopher Fitzsimmons, an education specialist at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said that the rolling and rubbing that can be seen in the drone footage is actually the creatures familiarizing themselves with each other. It's also done to make sure the female is receptive to the advances of the males.

Marine Mammal Institute at Oregon State University director, Bruce Mate, also agreed that there isn't actually mating taking place in the video, pointing out that while one of the males does have its penis out at one point, the female turned her back, indicating she isn't interested.

Gray whales mate belly to belly. The rolling actions seen in the video might be the female continually signalling her disinterest or she is still testing the male.

Scientists Develop Snake-Inspired Artificial Skin That Can 'Feel' and Restore Temperature Sensing

Scientists may have finally cracked the code to restoring temperature sensing with the help of an unexpected guest: a pit viper. In a surprising twist, the new material appears to be something people have been encountering in their everyday life.

Scientists and engineers at ETH Zurich and Caltech have used the same qualities helping pit vipers sense their pray to create a kind of artificial skin that is capable of detecting temperature changes. Caltech's Chiara Daraio and her team explained the process that uses the very same jellifying agent that makes our beloved jam.

According to Science News Journal, Daraio and her team have created a new material called pectin (a long chain molecule found in plant cell walls) that shows visible electronic responses to temperature changes. Their original research was actually intended for synthetic wood.

This new discovery opted Daraio and her colleagues to further test the molecule, and to surprising results. According to their Caltech study, the researchers were able to create a flexible and thin film of pectin with water. The resulting product is only 20 micrometers thick, which is almost as thick as human hair. The material is described to be "weakly-bonded" and has its own set of calcium ions.

The magic happens when temperature changes. This is because by the time temperature rises, the bonds "unzip" the double strands and the calcium ions are released as positively charged. This prompts the material to give an electrical signal to the detector attached to it.

Read: No More Scars: Researchers Crack Code to Regenerate Human Skin

Unfortunately, the scientists are still not entirely sure about the full extent of the machinations of the artificial skin as this is not part of their original objective. However, they concluded that electrical resistance may be affected because of the calcium ions themselves or their mobility.

They speculated this because of the similarities of how the skin of animals, such as the pit viper, detect heat. The study noted that vipers have the ability to detect radiated heat through their pit organs. Thir organs contain ion channels in the cell membrane of sensory nerve fibers, which expand as temperature increases. This helps vipers hunt for their prey regardless of how well they hide.

If Daraio's discovery is improved upon, there is potential for the artificial skin to be used in the realm of prosthetics. People with disabilities can have their "sense" of temperature restored with the help of these artificial limbs.

Aside from this, Daraio speculates that the artificial skin can be applied to the medical field as well, such as creating special temperature-sensitive bandages or other laboratory equipment.

New Gecko Species Literally Jumps Out of Its Own Skin to Escape Predators -- How?

Talk about a slippery getaway! Surviving in the wild is tricky, but a newly discovered gecko found an ingenious trick to slip out of a predator's grasp. In a paper published in the journal PeerJ, researchers revealed how this fish-scale gecko is able to avoid danger by literally wriggling out of its own skin.

According to a report from New York Times, the gecko known as the Geckolepis megalepis sheds its scales and skin like a jacket when confronted with a threat. The experience is not painful for the animal who regenerates a full set of scales within a few weeks after. New sales come with a different pattern.

Seeing the phenomenon or the strange creature can be very disarming with the gecko's large scales that can be ripped away to reveal translucent pink flesh. It's spine and blood vessels are visible through the tissue.

"It looks like a fish until you grab it, and then it looks like a naked chicken breast," Mark D. Scherz, a doctoral candidate at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, said. "It's bizarre, it's really surprising, and it's quite uncomfortable when you see them."

Another notable trait of this new species is its scales, which is the largest of any known fish-scale gecko. Some of the scales take up around 8 percent of its body. Despite its size, these oversized scales act more like a decoy for the gecko's actual defense. In fact, they're only loosely attached to the body along pre-defined "tear zones" in the skin, a report from Live Science said.

"You would think they are somehow protective but really they are a decoy there for blocking the teeth or claws of whatever wants to eat them," Scherz explained. "They get stuck in those jaws or claws and allow the gecko to escape naked and alive."

Members of the Geckolepis genus are typically difficult to catch, because of their skill in evading capture. This new gecko from northern Madagascar is actually the first time one has been identified in the last 75 years.

New Species of Marine Annelid Worm Discovered in Antarctica

Antarctica is hiding more secrets. A new species of polychaete, a type of annelid worms, has been discovered at Nishonoura near Japan's Syowa Station.

The samples of the species was taken underwater on January 16, 1981 and were recently analyzed.

The new species, described in a paper published in the journal Zootaxa, belongs to the genus Flabegraviera. The discovery of the new species paves the way in observing how animals survive in extreme environment like in Antarctica. A long-term monitoring system for Antarctica's land and coastal species is also underway, and the discovery of the annelid worm is part of the said international effort.

"This study is a major step forward in understanding marine life in the coastal region near Syowa Station. The Flabegraviera genus is unique to the Antarctic and considered a good example for studying how polychaetes adapt to extreme environments," said Dr. Keiichi Kaku, a lecturer at Hokkaido University and one of the researchers involved in the discovery, in a press release.

The researchers made their discovery after they started researching marine specimens stored at Japan's National Institute of Polar Research, in addition to newly collected specimens. Two of the specimens the researchers analyzed were annelid worms collected by scuba divers eight to nine meters deep on 1981 at Nishinoura near Syowa Station.

The annelid worm found eight meters deep belongs to Flabegraviera mundata. The discovery of F. mundata at eight meters depth is considered to be the shallowest depth ever recorded for the Flabegraviera genus. On the other hand, the annelid worm collected at nine meters appeared to belong to a new, unknown species.

Named after the icebreaker ship "Fuji" used during the 1981 expedition, the new species Flabegraviera fujiae resembles F. profunda. However, F. fujiae, unlike F. profunda, has eyes and exposed cephalic cage.

The discovery of the two annelid worms in depths reachable by scuba divers make the researchers jump for joy. The researchers hope that experiments could be done using living specimens in their natural habitat. By doing so, they could gain more knowledge regarding the marine life in the area.

True Best Friends: Dogs, Humans Mirror Each Other's Personality

Keep that negativity to a minimumbecause scientists reveal that you could pass on your anxiety and pessimism to your beloved pet.

A new study, conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Vienna, revealed that dogs are not only able to recognize human emotion but also adopt certain personality traits of their owners. According to a report from the DailyMail, the scientists tested a total of 132 pairs of humans and their pets.

Various experiments included separating and then reuniting the owners and pets, exposing the dogs to a number of slight threats and grouping them in pairs for some challenges.

It was discovered that pet owners who are pessimistic and prone to anxiety have dogs who also exhibit these qualities. By measuring their level of stress hormone cortisol, the researchers found that these dogs were also less capable of coping with threats and stressful situations.

"Owners behave differently because they are pessimistic or neurotic, and perhaps dogs read the emotions of their owners and think the world is more dangerous, so are more reactive to it," lead author Iris Schoberl said. "It looks like people who are pessimistic have dogs which are worse at coping with stress than others."

Dogs with less attentive and sensitive owners also tend to exhibit these traits.

On the other hand, dogs may also be a positive influence in a person's life, a report from BBC News said. Although humans have a bigger effect on dogs, the reverse is true as well. Dogs who are friendly and relaxed can also pass these traits to their owners.

Anxiety and stress can be a concern for canines. If it isn't addressed, these can result in panting, slobbering, failing to be toilet trained, and even being aggressive towards people. Symptoms of stress include licking their lips, yawning and turning away.

It's found that dogs get most stressed out by fireworks, thunder, trips to the vet, encounters with other dogs and being left alone.

Meanwhile, human behavior is the focus of a separate study, which showed that empathetic people tend to be more skilled in understanding their dog's facial expressions.

In a report from Science Daily, postdoctoral researcher Miiamaaria Kujala explained that empathy - the ability to share in someone else's emotions - affects a person's assessment of facial expressions because of how important the face is as a stimulus for humans. Empathy is even more significant than previous experience with dogs.