Narwhal Info
One of the most interesting animals known as the “Unicorn of the Sea,” is a narwhal. They dolphin-like animals that have only two teeth. In the male narwhal, one of the teeth grows out through the lip and extends about 8 feet. Experts are unclear as to the purpose of the the tooth, but one theory is that it is used in fighting between male narwhals.
The National Geographic website has some interesting multimedia about narwhals.
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (0)Endangered species news
Another example of the ripple effect crises can have on a society - Endangered species are being hunted to supplement food supplies for refugees fleeing the violence in Kenya.
Problems supplying fresh meat to refugees and the costs associated with aid are creating a situation that gives refugees mostly vegetarian food rations that they supplement with wild meat.
This graphic slide-show on MSNBC.com has some interesting information and pictures about bushmeat.
Africa is the only place to find some of these endangered species living in their natural habitats, and it is very unfortunate that although there are many African people committed to protecting these species, these humanitarian crises make the situation very complicated and tragic.
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (0)Researchers warn: dolphins cannot heal illness
A group proposing that interacting with dolphins through a therapy program can help patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, emotional stress, phobias, depression and Neurasthenia is facing criticism from researchers at Emory University who say that this therapy could actually cause harm to both patients and animals. The program costs upward of $4,000 and includes lodging optimally dolphin-patient direct contact for 15-20 minutes once a day for a period of 7-10 days.
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (0)Stem cells
Two Universities in the United Kingdom have been authorized to proceed with research that involves using animal embryos to develop human stem cells.
Researchers in the United States are pushing for more flexibility to study stem cells. In the U.S, there are only a few existing lines that can be studied with government funding. Many researchers would like to expand their options to include new adult lines and embryonic stem cells.
Sean Morrison, director of the center for stem cell biology at the Life Sciences Institute, wrote “My laboratory studies umbilical cord blood. It is useful for replacing blood-forming cells in children that have been treated for cancer. However, it cannot do the same things as embryonic stem cells. That is why there is near universal agreement among respected scientists and patient advocacy groups that current restrictions should be relaxed,” in an opinion piece for the Detroit Free Press.
The website offers a tutorial explaining how stem cells work.
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (0)Endangered Species - the Monarch Butterfly
Photo Credit: WWF-Canon / Fritz Pölking
The average adult Monarch butterfly lives about 4 to 5 weeks. However, there is a special type of Monarch, called the “Methuselah generation,” that participate in an incredible migration taking them from Canada and the U.S to a region in central Mexico.
“Awell-preserved forest ecosystem in Mexico is critical for the survival of the Monarch butterfly wintering, which has been recognized as an endangered biological phenomenon, and the first priority in world butterfly conservation,” according the the World Wildlife Fund’s website.
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