New Species of River Dolphin discovered in the Amazon!

A team of scientists from the Federal University of Amazonas in Manaus, Brazil have discovered a new species of freshwater river dolphin in the Amazon, the BBC reports. The small group of dolphins was living in the Araguaian basin, where they were assumed to be Amazon river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) that had broken off from the larger population.
Not so, the scientists reported in the journal Plos One. DNA tests showed that the population of dolphins were genetically distinct from their dolphin cousins and that the species likely diverged more than two million years ago.
River dolphins are extremely rare, and the Araguaian Boto is the first new species to be discovered since 1918, when scientists found the Yangtze river dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) in China.
The Yangtze river dolphin became extinct in 2006, and the Araguaian Boto population faces its own threats. The scientists who discovered the new dolphin remembered that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classify the new species as "vulnerable."

 

Read more about the Yangtze river Dolphin at Globalpost

Facts & Threats of The Wolf: Help Save them from Future Extinction

Facts Of The Wolf:
www.defenders.org
BASIC FACTS ABOUT GRAY WOLVES

Gray Wolf © John Eastcott / National Geographic Stock

Diet

Wolves eat ungulates, or large hoofed mammals, like elk, deer, moose and caribou. Wolves are also known to eat beaver, rabbits and other small prey. Wolves are also scavengers and often eat animals that have died due to other causes like starvation and disease.

Population

There are an estimated 7,000 to 11,200 wolves in Alaska and more than 5,000 in the lower 48 states. Around the world there are an estimated 200,000 in 57 countries, compared to up to 2 million in earlier times.

Range

Wolves were once common throughout all of North America but were killed in most areas of the United States by the mid 1930s. Today their range has been reduced to Canada and the following portions of the United States: Alaska, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Mexican wolves are found in New Mexico and Arizona.

Thanks to the reintroduction of wolves in 1995, Yellowstone National Park is one of the most favored places to see and hear wolves in the native habitat.

Behavior

Wolves live, travel and hunt in packs of 4-7 animals on average. Packs include the mother and father wolves, called the alphas, their pups and several other subordinate or young animals. The alpha female and male are the pack leaders that track and hunt prey, choose den sites and establish the pack's territory. Wolves develop close relationships and strong social bonds. They often demonstrate deep affection for their family and may even sacrifice themselves to protect the family unit.

Wolves have a complex communication system ranging from barks and whines to growls and howls. While they don't howl at the moon, they do howl more when it's lighter at night, which occurs more often when the moon is full.

More on Gray Wolf: Threats to Wolves »
Height: 26-32 inches (.7-.8m) at the shoulder.
Length: 4.5-6.5 feet (1.4-2m) from nose to tip of tail.
Weight: 55-130 lbs (25-59 kg); Males are typically heavier and taller than the females.
Lifespan: 7-8 years in the wild, but some have lived 10 years or more.

Threats to Wolves

The most common cause of death for wolves is conflict with people over livestock losses. While wolf predation on livestock is fairly uncommon, wolves that do prey on them are often killed to protect the livestock. Defenders is working with livestock owners to develop non-lethal methods to reduce the chances of a wolf attacking livestock. These methods include fencing livestock, lighting, alarm systems and removing dead or dying livestock that may attract carnivores like wolves.

Overall, the greatest threat to wolves is people's fear and misunderstanding about the species. Many fairy tales and myths tend to misrepresent wolves as villainous, dangerous creatures.

Government is starting to attempt to pass laws on hunting and gasing wolf cubs, this is harming to the numbers of future wolf populations: killing the young, kills the species.

Reasons for Hope

Defenders and many other conservation organizations have been working tirelessly on wolf conservation in North America, from aerial hunting in Alaska to restoration efforts in the lower 48 States. Wolves are an integral part of an ecosystem as a top tier predator and Defenders will continue to make sure this iconic symbol of America always has a place here.

October-December, 2013 - The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service held several public hearings on their proposal to delist most gray wolves in the U.S. And at each one, Defenders was there in force.
The latest articles about wildlife issues that may be of interest to those in the press.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a truly landmark law that solidified our commitment to conserve our nation’s wildlife

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Posted via Blogaway

Link to Animal news!

This link is the top 15 animal news of 2013 as we close out 2013 in about 8 days we look back at this year some good news, sad news, new discoveries & ideas of how to help and better ourselves..
Have a great New Year!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-24/animal-stories-from-2013-you-may-have-missed/5173368

Lily's Frog Pad / Howard Christiansen Nature Center

 www.lilysfrogpad.com

 Hello, I would like to post on here that a Center for Nature and Conservation education for children in school is going through hard times right now in my local area and would appreciate any help at this point.

Howard Christiansen Nature Center is a place where children can go on a field trip and learn about nature and their habitats aswell as how we can preserve and save forests to help better our and animals futures.

Many schools are starting to fall out in teaching children about animals and conservation. Children should have a place where they can go to use their senses and know for themselves about nature.

I have had the pleasure of walking and speaking to the guides who work at Howard Christiansen Nature Center about their jobs and how they feel about the childrens need of learning about nature and guiding them ...All of the guides were supportive and energetic in teaching the children and took the time to guide and help each child understand natures place... The guides are barely able to be paid minimum wages for their help because they all put so much in just keeping the bills paid..

Howard Christiansen Nature Center is asking for donations to help pay bills and help funding field trips.. College interns are placed to work here for extra credit hours aswell as volunteers, If the center is no longer open and available we will not have that as an option for college students and volunteers.

Please visit www.lilysfrogpad.com for further information on the nature center and how you can help create a better future for our children, teens and even adults ...

Thank You,

Sarah K.

2 Toads

This is one of the toads that I found while we were hauling wood outside, one toad is female & the other is a male...

A Beauty & a fighter

Here is the little handful! She has been through having to have ticks removed then she ended being sick for alittle while but she is back up & kicking, shes alittle over the size of my hand now-she's eating anything that gets put in her cage : alfalfa, seeds, grass, & she LOVES dandelions! but for a wild rabbit she is the most friendliest rabbit I have had in awhile!
She was definately the runt of the litter, we saw one of the other little ones outside and they are getting alot bigger than her, but so proud of her! She's a beauty!

Rabbits

 

Week 8 Video footage last outdoor footage taken 5 of the 6 rabbits went off with the mother so we now are raising the one rabbit that was left in our backyard, We recently had to remove ticks from her ears they grew to be very large and we are hoping she survives after how much blood loss she went through, but she is growing and has now learned how to use a water bottle and spends most of the day eating dandelions and sleeping and she's awake all night and I'm turning into a night owl myself as many times as I wake up during the night to check on her, so we are happy that she is about 10 weeks old now :)