Male/Female or what?

Clownfish or anemonefish, Amphiprion sp are fishes from the subfamily Amphiprioninae in the family Pomacentridae.

Many people do not kclownfishnow that clownfish are actually transsexuals! Clownfish are hermaphrodites that have both female and male gonads. Once the clownfish are hatched, the female gonads are suppressed and so all clownfish start life as males, no females.

After the early part of their lifecycle, upon finding a suitable host sea anemone, clownfish will settle down on it. The clownfish will gently touches the anemone’s tentacles over a period of several hours or days, until they form a layer of mucus that is resistant to the stings. Usually, a small group of clownfish live in one large sea anemone. And in each sea anemone, there exists a strict hierarchical system between the clownfishes. The highest rank is the female breeder, following next is the male which mate with the female breeder. Only one male clownfish ( which is ranked number two) mate with the female breeder. And at the bottom of the ranks will be up to four smaller, non breeding clownfishes.

clownfish on flickr

Ocellaris clownfish HD video at Haus des Meeres on Flickr – Photo Sharing!

And when the female clownfish die, her mate changes sex and becomes female! At the same time, the largest of the non-breeding clownfish becomes the functioning male. Other fishes also moved up a rank. Another interesting obervations is that clownfish regulate their size in order to remain in the community. Each clownfish will keep its size smaller than the clownfish directly above its rank. Clownfish that grow bigger than clownfish above its rank could be rejected by the community. This adaptation of clownfish ensure continuous reproduction.

Reference

” Social hierarchies: Size and growth modification in clownfish,” by  Peter Buston. Nature 424, 145-146, 10 July 2003 URL:

http://www.nature.com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/nature/journal/v424/n6945/full/424145a.html

(accessed on 07/04/2010)
“Nemo puts clownfish in spotlight,” by Ann Kellan. CNN, Monday, August 4, 2003 URL:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/science/08/04/nemo.clownfish/index.html

(accessed on 07/04/2010)
“Ocellaris clownfish HD video at Haus des Meeres” by john.nousis. flickr from yahoo URL:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nousis/3737791781/

(accessed on 07/04/2010)

“Splash Zone Coral Reef Animals” by montereybayaquarium      URL:

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/efc/efc_splash/splash_animals_clownfish.aspx

(accessed on 07/04/2010)

“Cave under Ras Muhammad” by Leigh Cunningham. X-ray MAG57,58 ,2008   URL:

http://www.xray-mag.com/pdfs/xray21/X-Ray21_part3.pdf

(accessed on 07/04/2010)

“Clownfish” by beest. flickr from yahoo URL:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebeest/1356120651/in/photostream/

(accessed on 07/04/2010)


Neck in Neck!

Giraffes (Giraffidae Giraffa camelopardalis) are known to be the tallest animal in the world, with distinct long necks and long grasping tongues that can extend up to 18 inches to munch on the inner leaves of trees. However, did you know that early age giraffes were more deer life with shorter necks? Then how did the Giraffe species end up with long necks?

It is a common belief that giraffes had adapted longer necks as part of a survival technique to reach out to the greater heights for food. However scientific research in the 1990s show that when food was scarce giraffes preferred feeding in lower bushes than in tall trees.Thus dispproving the common belief.

There are other speculations that the giraffes have long necks in order to help them identify predators from afar. However, biologists are not convinced by this being the solitary theory behind the evolution of giraffes citing that if seeing far distances was such a huge advantage then other animals would have followed the giraffe’s evolution.

There was a more concrete evidence and reasoning behind this evolution: Necking.

Giraffes do "win by a neck"

” Giraffes fight over females by swinging their necks and heads like a medieval ball and chain. The longer and heavier the neck, the more momentum behind the often bone-shattering head slams.”

Simmons and Scheepers found that the longer and more massive a giraffe male’s neck was, the more likely he was to win the mating contest and thus, giving him more chance of mating and this led to the “longer” neck genes being passed down more frequently to the future generations. This mating competition is believed to have further motivated the evolution of the giraffe’s neck as the longer-necked animals were more successful at reproducing.

To conclude, here’s a video of this necking action caught on tape:

References:

“Why do Giraffes have such long necks?” By Kathy Wollard. Url:http://www.how-come.net/giraffeneck.html (Accessed on 3rd April 2010)

“Why do Giraffes have such long necks?” By Vlad Tarko. Sci-Tech News, 30 May 2006. Url:http://news.softpedia.com/news/Why-Do-Giraffes-Have-Such-Long-Necks-41441.shtml (Accessed on 3rd April 2010)

“Winning by a Neck: Sexual Selection in the Evolution of Giraffe” by Robert E. Simmons and Lue Scheeper, The American Naturalist, Vol. 148, No. 5 (Nov., 1996), pp. 771-786 (Accessed on 6th April 2010)

” Nature| Tall Blondes | “Giraffe ‘Necking’ ”  by PBS.  Url: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXcGvQqWB-0 (Accessed on 7th April 2010)

“Masai Giraffe in Necking Dominance Fight” by WildImages, 17th April 2008. Url: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wild_images/2420442547/  (Accessed on 7th April 2010)


Pufferfish – A Blessing in Disguise?

Pufferfishes are the second most poisonous vertebrate in the world. They are made up of two families of closely related fishes, namely the smooth or sharpnose pufferfish (tetraodontidae) and spiny pufferfish (diodontidae). Though its skin and certain internal organs are highly toxic to humans, it is still a delicacy to some, with proper caution exercised in preparation of course.

Pufferfish Inflation as a Defense Mechanism

Natural defense mechanism is the key to the survival of the pufferfish. These mechanisms compensate for the locomotion and slow movement of the fish (Zimmer, 1997). Pufferfishes have a unique and distinct ability to inflate their body upon threatened, by swallowing water (if captured by predator) or air (if captured by avian or human) to fill their expandable stomachs, causing their body shape to become spherical. The ribs of the fish are short, and the collagen fiber organisation in it is modified, allowing its elastic stomach to stretch and expand (Wainwright and Turingan, 1997). Consequently, the swelling of the stomach can increase its body volume by up to three times!

Upon facing a large size fish now, many predators go into a pause and even retreat, giving the pufferfish the opportunity to make its getaway. Many predators are also unable to prey on the pufferfish as it becomes too large to swallow, and usually give up as seen in the video above. The fish can then easily return to its original size after the threat is no longer present, by expelling the water in its stomach.

Uninflated Pufferfish

Uninflated Pufferfish


Inflated Pufferfish

Inflated Pufferfish

In addition to its natural defense mechanism, pufferfishes also have chemical defenses in the form of toxins. Puffers produce a potent toxin to deter potential predators. This neurotoxin, called tetrodotoxin, is found in its internal organs such as its ovaries, livers, intestines, skin, muscle tissues and blood. Consuming a pufferfish might thus be a lethal and unpleasant thing for the predator. Thus, the natural defense mechanism not only protects the pufferfish, but can also protect the predator, as not preying on the former might be a blessing in disguise for the predator after all.

References:

“Puffer Fish,” by National Geographic. National Geographic YouTube Channel, 10 February 2009. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkXhC7yzISI&feature=PlayList&p=461B6262E80EED00&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=1 (accessed on 6 April 2010)

“Pufferfish Inflation,” by Adam Summers. American Museum of Natural History, October 2001. URL: http://biomechanics.bio.uci.edu/_html/nh_biomech/pufferfish/puffer.htm (accessed on 6 April 2010)

“Marine Life Profile: Pufferfishes,” by Education Department, Waikiki Aquarium. University of Hawai’i-Manoa, September 2009. URL: http://www.waquarium.org/_library/images/education/marinelifeprofiles/pufferfishes0909.pdf (accessed on 6 April 2010)

“Observations of the Inflation Behavior of the Spiny Pufferfish,” by Keith Cavalieri, Tropical Biology. Providence College, Spring 2000. URL: http://people.hofstra.edu/jason_d_williams/HUML/Handbooks/30-Journal%20of%20Prov%20Coll.pdf (accessed on 6 April 2010)

Brainerd, Elizabeth L. 1994. Pufferfish Inflation: Functional Morphology of Postcranial Structures in Diodon holocanthus (tetraodontiformes). Journal of Morphology, 220: 243-261

Wainwright, Peter C. and Turingan, Ralph G. 1997. Evolution of Pufferfish Inflation Behavior. Evolution 51: 506-518

Zimmer, Carl. 1997. How the pufferfish got its puff. Discover 18(9): 30-31

Altruism in Dolphins

bottlenose-dolphinMany studies have demonstrated the intelligence of these playful creatures and there are even instances whereby dolphins have saved human beings from the attack of sharks. Recently, I chanced across an article which talked about how a pod of dolphins saved a surfer from a shark attack. This particular species of dolphins are commonly known as bottlenose dolphins or the scientific name, Tursiops Truncatu.

Click on the link below to watch video on how dolphins helped shark attack victim. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/21686714#21686714

The surfer, Todd Endris was surfing at Marina State Park off Monterey, California, when he was suddenly attacked by a great white shark. The shark peeled the skin off his back and was biting on his right leg. A pod of bottlenose dolphins swam over and formed a protective ring around Endris, providing him a chance to escape from the shark and to swim back to shore where help was available.

This is not an isolated case of dolphins helping humans. There are several instances whereby dolphins demonstrated such altruistic behavior. A famous example of altruistic behavior in dolphins happened in New Zealand, whereby a pod of bottlenose dolphins encircled a group of lifeguards when they were under the threat of a shark attack. According to Connor and Norris (1982), there are several witness accounts of dolphins’ altruistic behaviors and based on that, they further hypothesize that bottlenose dolphins are reciprocal altruists.

Furthermore, altruistic behavior in bottlenose dolphins is not limited towards humans only. Moko, a bottlenose dolphin in New Zealand, helped two whales who were stranded on the beach by directing them to open sea. Based on the stories above, it seems that bottlenose dolphins are not only intelligent, but possess altruistic qualities too.

Secondary Source:

Connor, R.C. & Norris, K. S.,1982. Are dolphins reciprocal altruists? The American Naturalist, 119(3), 358-374.

References:

“Dolphins save surfer from becoming shark’s bait” by Mike Celizic. TODAYshow.com, 08 Nov 2007. URL: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/21689083/ (accessed on 03 Apr 2010).

“Dolphin answers whales’ SOS call” by Martyn McLaughlin. NEWS.scotsman.com, 13 Mar 2008. URL:   http://news.scotsman.com/world/Dolphin-answers-whales39-SOS-call.3872748.jp  (accessed on 03 Apr 2010).

“Dolphins saving people: Dolphins and altruism” by Tom Bates. Assorted Scribbles, 18 Feb 2008. URL: http://www.assortedscribbles.com/posts/Dolphins_Saving_People: Dolphins_and_Altruism (accessed on 04 Apr 2010).

“Dolphins help shark attack victim” by TODAY msnbc, 08 Nov 2007. URL: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/21686714#21686714 (accessed on 3 Apr 2010).

Kid: “I don’t look anything like my mom!” — Crossbreed Adoption: A Challenge to Darwinian Theory

Maternal Instinct Cross the Species Line

Cross species adoption is a phenomenon that has been puzzling scientists for years. Such behaviour contradicts Darwinian Theory of Natural Selection and Evolution, which is the selection of behavioural traits that increases the rate of survival and reproduction. Adopting someone else’s young that holds no similar traits and investing precious resources and energy in ensuring their survival not only reduces the mother’s reproductive success, but also the species’ own rate of survival. The Darwinian Theory fails to explain this phenomenon, that happens (as seen in video) not only between cats and dogs, but across all types of species, such as a baby chimpanzee being nursed by a leopard who preyed on its mother, and a young deer nursed by a feline cat.

Dog adopts a litter of kittens

The title of the video is called “Maternal Instincts crosses the Species Line”. But instincts is categorized under learning, which is also under natural selection, again, the Darwinian Theory. So we then start to question, if natural selection ultimately aims to bolster the rate of survival and reproduction, and if cross breed adoption is proven to challenge that idea, then can we truly say that cross breed adoption is a result of strong maternal instincts?

It could be possible. In the National Wildlife Magazine’s “Parenting Paradox”, written by Sharon Levy, it mentioned that such a behaviour may be advantageous in terms of gaining parenting experience. Moreover, the research article “Cross-Genus Adoption by Wild Capuchins” mentioned Maestripieri’s (2001) suggestion that the “adoption of an unrelated infant is an evolutionary maladaptive consequence of mechanisms selected to promote mother-infant bonding”. This article can be found at: http://psychology.uga.edu/primate/pub/Izar%20et%20al%20adoption%20AJP%2068,%20692%20-%20700%202006.pdf.

But then again, these are all human interpretations of what we observe. Whether they truly represent the meanings of such behaviour, we can never be sure.

References:

Cross-Genus Adoption of a Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)
by Wild Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus libidinosus):
Case Report Patricia Izar, Michele P. Verderane, Elisabetta Visalberghi, Eduargo B. Ottoni, Marino Gomes De Oliveira, Jeanne Shirley and Dorothy Fragaszy.

Patricia Izar,  Michele P. Verderane,Elisabetta Visalberghi, Eduardo B. Ottoni, Marino Gomes De Oliveira, Jeanne Shirley & Dorothy Fragaszy, 2006. Cross-Genus Adoption of a Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) by Wild Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus libidinosus): Case Report. American Journal of Primatology, 68:692–700.

“Parenting Behaviour,” by Sharon Levy. National Wildlife Magazine, Aug/Sept 2002. URL: https://notes.utk.edu/Bio/greenberg.nsf/5ba499130609184085257015006e1931/841c6ff3a204c18e852572c200586258?OpenDocument (assessed on 5 April 2010).

“Maternal Instinct Crosses the Species Line,” by CBS News Youtube Channel, 22 April 2009. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTkZ6RhL6i8 (assessed on 6 April 2010).

The lesbian Laysan albatross?

A female-female pair of Laysan albatross. Photo by Eric A. Vanderwerf.

A female-female pair of Laysan albatross at Kaean Point, Hawaii. Photo by Eric A. Vanderwerf.

The Laysan albatross (Diomedea immutablis) is known for its monogamous nature. The female and male birds mate with the same partner once a year for their whole lives. In 2008, however, biologist Lindsay C. Young discovered that their lifelong partners need not necessarily be of the opposite gender. She found that out of 125 Laysan albatross nests in Kaena Point, Hawaii, 31% were attended to by female-female couplings (Young, Zaun, and VanderWerf 323). The figure is “more than double the highest proportion of female-female pairing previously known in any animal,” making this a landmark case in the study of homosexual behaviour in animals (Ibid., 324).

These same-sex pairs of Laysan albatross do not copulate with one another–either female mates with a male, sometimes through “soliciting” for sex–but the female afterwards returns to lay its egg in a nest it shares with its female partner (“Can Animals Be Gay?”). There, the couple incubates their egg collaboratively, alternating in turns like a female-male couple. Sometimes, both females lay an egg, resulting in what is called “supernormal clutch,” when the Laysan albatross’s clutch size of 1 egg per nest is exceeded. In fact, this occurred to 44% of the female-female pairs Young studied (Young, Zaun, and VanderWerf 323). In such cases, the pair members incubate only one of the two eggs.

Young accounts for this phenomenon of same-sex pairings on the basis of the female-biased sex ratio at her study location. As a result of female-dominated migration, 59% of Laysan albatross at Kaena Point were female, resulting in a shortfall in mates for them (Ibid., 324). This spur towards homosexual behaviour due to a lack in one sex is sometimes called “the prisoner effect” (“Can Animals Be Gay?”). Two other biologists, Marlene Zuk and Nathan W. Bailey, build upon Young’s reasoning to assert that we can see animal homosexuality as an evolutionary by-product. Zuk and Bailey assert that the Laysan albatross’s behaviour represents an “alternative reproductive strateg[y],” where given the dearth of male mates, “the females were able to avoid complete loss of reproductive success by joining forces another female” (658). It remains to be seen if the reasoning behind such “adaptive” behaviour can equally apply to the male Laysan albatross, or to other animals too (659).

Young-albatross-female-couple-02

One female Laysan albatross grooming another. Photo by Alex Wegmann.

References

“Albatross Couple,” by Alex Wegmann. LiveScience. URL: http://www.livescience.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?s=animals&c=&l=on&pic=080527-albatross-couple-02.jpg&cap=Paired+female+Laysan+Albatrosses+grooming+each+other.+Credit%3A+Lindsay+Young.&title (accessed on 6 Apr 2010).

“Can Animals Be Gay?,” by Jon Mooallem. The New York Times, 29 Mar 2010. URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/magazine/04animals-t.html?hpw=&pagewanted=all (accessed on 6 Apr 2010).

“Same Sex Animals,” by Eric A. VanderWerf. LiveScience. URL: http://www.livescience.com/php/multimedia/imagedisplay/img_display.php?s=animals&c=rbritt-columnist-153×65&l=on&pic=090616-same-sex-animals-02.jpg&cap=This+photo+shows+a+female-female+pair+of+Laysan+Albatross.+Females+cooperatively+build+nests+and+rear+you (accessed on 6 Apr 2010).

Young, Lindsay C., Zaun, Brenda J., and VanderWerf, Eric A., 2008. Successful same-sex pairing in Laysan albatross. Biology Letters, 4(4): 323-5.

Zuk, Marlene and Bailey, Nathan W., 2008. Birds gone wild: same-sex parenting in albatross. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 23(12): 658-60.

Invasion of the Red Crabs!

Christmas Island Crab Invasion

Whilst some species of crabs may seem common on our regular seafood dinner table, this particular species may not be as they are toxic to human beings. The red crabs, Gecarcoidea natalis, are endemic to the forests of Christmas Island, located in north-west of Australia in the Indian Ocean. Their mating season occurs annually during the monsoon season, where they have to migrate to the coast for breeding.

At the coast, the male crab would have to fight with other males to gain the rights to dig a burrow in which mating occurs. This is a demonstration of greater fitness than rivals. The female will be left in the burrow where she brood the eggs in a pouch on her abdomen. The female will release her eggs into the sea after a lapse of 12 days. These eggs hatch immediately into tiny larvae.

In migrating to the coast from the forests, the crabs have to go through obstacles like roads, where vehicles are prevalent. This poses a threat to the crabs as they face the danger of getting crushed by oncoming vehicles. In order to protect the red crabs from getting crushed on the roads by vehicles during the migration period, the local authorities have closed a few roads.

In addition, the migration of the red crabs has become such a phenomenon that it is now used to attract tourists as this spectacular sight is hard to find in other countries.

References:

  1. “Christmas Island Crab,” by BBC Science and Nature, July 2005. URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/blueplanet/factfiles/crustaceans/christmas_island_crab_bg.shtml(accessed on 5 Apr 2010).  
  2.  “Science Screen Report: The Amazing Red Crab of Christmas Island !,” by Allegrosjf YouTube Channel, 25 September 2009 . URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNKgh6TfWXo (accessed on 5 Apr 2010)
  3. “Red Crabs,” by Environment Australia. URL:http://www.christmas.net.au/parks/crabs/(accessed on 6 Apr 2010)
  4. Agnieszka M. Adamczewska, Stephen Morris, 2001. Ecology and Behavior of Gecarcoidea natalis, the Christmas Island Red Crab, during the Annual Breeding Migration. Biological Bulletin, 200(3): 305-320
  5. “Christmas Island: kingdom of the crab,” by Nick Squires. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/australiaandpacific/australia/738604/Christmas-Island-kingdom-of-the-crab.html, 21 Oct 2007. URL: xxx (accessed on 6 Apr 2010).

Horseshoe Crabs Mating

Horseshoe crab mating on YouTube

Horseshoe crabs often referred to as a living fossil, is one of the most interesting creatures on earth because it’s origins dates back to millions of years ago. The video shows an interesting shot of the mating behaviour of the horseshoe crabs.

Background information of Atlantic Horseshoe Crabs

The horseshoe crab or Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus is found along the eastern coast of North and Central America. It belongs to the Limulidae family which consists of three other species. It is a misconception that horseshoe crabs are crabs. In fact, they belong to the phylum of Arthropods, which consists of animals having an articulated body and limbs (The Horseshoe Crabs). Horseshoe crabs are now considered endangered animals due to the loss of habitats.

Mating behaviour

The female Limulus give off chemical attractants called pheromones, which the males can detect (The Horseshoe Crab). Once the male Limulus detects a female offshore, he grasps her with his specially modified claws, and the attached couple crawls toward the high tide line. Once copulation is over, the female, with the male still attached, digs into the sand and lays thousands of eggs which the male fertilizes externally (Rudloe, 1980). It was found that some male Limulus remain attached to the females for as long as 2 weeks!

Horseshoe Crabs mating

Horseshoe Crabs mating

However, there is strong competition between males for females because it was found that females tend to reach sexual maturity later and they return to the nest less frequently than males (Rudloe, 1980). Because of this, there is a difference in ratio between the males and females therefore leading to an intense competition for females as seen in the video. Even if a male is attached to a female, other satellite males will still “join in” to mate with the female by pushing away the current attached male.

References

H. Jane Brockmann. Mating Behavior of Horseshoe Crabs, Limulus polyphemus. Behaviour, Vol. 114, No. 1/4 :pp. 206-220.

“Horseshoe crab mating,” by solatia. YouTube Channel, 3 April 2007. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrrYtOc6Y0c (assessed on 4 March 2010)

Natural History:Spawning Behaviour. URL:http://www.horseshoecrab.org/nh/spawn.html (assessed on 4 March 2010)

Rudloe, A.E. 1980. The breeding behavior and patterns of movement of horseshoe crabs, Limulus polyphemus, in the vicinity of breeding beaches in Apalachee Bay, Florida. Estuaries 3, p. 177-183.

Low On Carps please

Silver Carp

Silver Carp

When it comes to fishing for the Silver Carp, it is actually possible to just sit back, relax, and watch as the fishes leap right into your boat and even onto your lap! In fact, the Silver Carp might even come right at your face, injuring you in the process. The Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, can grow up to 18 kilograms (kg) and leap as high as 3 metres in the air (“Silver Carp” Wikipedia).

The sound and vibration of motorboats tend to send the Silver Carps into frenzy as they often mistake the disturbances as caused by predators (“Silver Carp in Action.avi” Youtube Channel). The Silver Carps are therefore scared into leaping out of the water and studies have shown that this response “is more pronounced with higher RPMs and greater motor noise” (Kolar et al., 2005). People therefore often mistook the Silver Carps for flying fishes.  

With Silver Carps that can weigh up to 18 kg and boat speeds that can reach more than 32 kilometres per hour (Kolar et al., 2005), the impact with the incoming leaping fish can be very great and even disastrous. According to Meersman (2004), a boater Marcy Poplett was struck in the face by a Silver Carp on the Illinois River on October 2003. She was knocked off her watercraft and fell into the river unconscious. Fortunately, she was rescued but with a broken nose, concussion and injured back among other injuries (Kolar et al., 2005). On another occasion, an impactful encounter with a Silver Carp broke the jaw of an American teenager, Seth Russell, leaving him in need of oral surgery to wire some teeth back together. These are the two more notable cases among a host of other injuries that resulted from “the attack by the invasive species (the Silver Carp in this case)” (Heok, 2008).

The Silver Carp is an Asian carp that was first introduced to North America from China “to control algae growth in aquaculture and municipal wastewater treatment facilities” (“Silver Carp” Wikipedia). They however, managed to escape from captivity and due to their high proliferation quantity and rate, by 2003, they had spread into the Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri rivers and others (“Silver Carp” Wikipedia). As filter feeders, their huge number is a major threat to native filter feeders (Aitkin et al., 2008). This direct competition has resulted in a great reduction in the amount of native species in the rivers and this has affected the biodiversity of the region. There is definitely a pressing need to reduce the massive number of Silver Carps in the rivers. The high population density of the Silver Carp renders their massive, incessant acrobatic leaps out of the water, and into the air, a breathtaking sight to behold.

This “superswarm” is a man-made swarm that could be attributed to the negligence of man for not ensuring that the Silver Carps that were imported were sterile and effectively held captive. It is therefore unjustified to label the Silver Carps as an “invasive species” or to state that they “cause[d] serious damage” and are guilty of “seriously injuring boaters” (Kolar et al., 2005). All these appear to point to the negative, harmful aspect of nature by putting the blame on nature. The accidents and adverse effects are a consequence of Man’s interference with nature. It shows how Man has upset the balance of nature and has ironically caused harm to themselves instead.

Second Source:
The Silver Carp man-made “superswarm” parallels that of the African Bees which were also imported from one native place (Africa) to another (Brazil) as a result of Man’s another attempt to temper with nature to make “better honey producers” (Stanford & Hall, 2009).
Refer to article “The Brazilian Honeybee,” by Charles D. Michener.

References:

“African Honey Bee: What You Need to Know,” by Malcolm T. Sanford and H. Glenn Hall. University of Florida IFAS Extension, (September 2005). URL: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG11300.pdf (accessed on 2 April 2010).

“Asian Carps of the Genus Hypophthalmichthys (Pisces, Cyprinidae) ― A Biological Synopsis and Environmental Risk Assessment,” by Cindy S.Kolar et al. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (12 April 2005). URL: http://www.fws.gov/contaminants/OtherDocuments/ACBSRAFinalReport2005.pdf (acessed on 2 April 2010).

“Columbia River Basin Asian Carps Risk Evaluation,” by J. Kevin Aitkin et al. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (22 February 2008). URL: http://www.asiancarp.org/Documents/AsianCarp_PNWRiskEvaluation_022208.pdf (accessed on 2 April 2010).

“Hypophthalmichthys molitrix Silver Carp 2000,” by Uland Thomas. Flickr, 1 May 2009. URL: http://www.flickr.com/photos/10362071@N03/3493258530/ (accessed on 1 April 2010).

“Leaping Silver carp breaks teenager’s jaw,” by Heok Hee Ng. Practical Fishkeeping, (9 September 2008). URL: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=1752 (accessed on 2 April 2010).

“Silver Carp in Action.avi,” by Youtube Channel, 25 February 2010. URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD9DeAiUhCA (accessed on 1 April 2010).

“Silver Carp”. Wikipedia, (22 March 2010). URL: http://en.”Silver Carp” Wikipediapedia.org/”Silver Carp” Wikipedia/Silver_carp (accessed on 2 April 2010).

“The Brazilian Honeybee,” by Charles D. Michener. BioScience, (September 1973). URL: http://www.jstor.org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/stable/1296479?seq=1&Search=yes&term=bees&term=african&term=facts&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dafrican%2Bbees%2Bfacts%26gw%3Djtx%26prq%3Dafrican%2Bbees%2Bimport%2Bto%2Bbrazil%26hp%3D25%26wc%3Don&item=7&ttl=1224&returnArticleService=showArticle&resultsServiceName=doBasicResultsFromArticle (accessed on 3 April 2010).

RAWR!! Hug Me if You Dare.

Lions are ferocious creatures of the wild. Yet some are bold enough to approach them and befriend them. Just as how Timothy Treadwell is to grisly bears and Steve Irwin is to crocodiles, Kevin Richardson has a special bond and relationship with lions. Kevin Richardson is a zoologist and animal behaviouralist. He uses love, understanding and trust to bond with the lions and win them over to himself.

lionkisslioncuddle

Known as the Lion Whisperer, Kevin can look into their eyes confidently and even lie down with them. He has not been attacked or mauled by these lions yet, and I think the million dollar question is: how long will he have immunity?

Watch Video: Hugs with Lion

Some Interesting Facts about Lions:

The lion’s scientific name is Panthera leo. Lions belong to the Felidae or cat family. Lions have been known to live nearly 30 years in capitivity and have an average life span of 15 years in the wild. A full grown adult male lion can weigh between 150 and 259kilograms.

Despite all their growling, roaring and ferociousness, lions are actually family animals and social in their own communities. They usually live in groups of 15 or more called prides. Together, they hunt, prey, raise cubs and guard territories. The lionesses usually do most of the hunting and cub rearing in the prides.

lions

Generally, the darker the lion’s mane, the older he is. Scientists believe that male lions’ manes make them look fierce and may help protect their throats in battle with other males. A male lion marks the territory of his pride by spraying a mixture of urine and glandular secretions on tree trunks and bushes.

Lions are carnivores – meat eaters. They hunt animals ranging in size from small hares to large buffalo. A typical meal for an adult male lion is 7kilograms of meat, though lions can consume as much as 27 kilograms at a sitting.

lionsfeeding

When lions walk, their heels don’t touch the ground. Lions can run at a top speed of 58kilometers an hour, but cannot sustain that for long. Lions remain inactive for up to 20 hours a day. They would usually wait until it is the coolest and darkest times of the day before they start to hunt.

A lion’s loud roar can carry for as far as eight kilometers and is usually heard after sunset.  The roar warns off intruders and helps to gather stray members of the pride.

References

National Geographic Kids. (1996). Lion – Facts & Photos, National Geographic Kids. Retrieved April 01, 2010, from National Geographic Kids: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/Lion

Roberts, G. (2007, June 26). The king of the jungle doesn’t frighten the lion whisperer| Mail Online. Retrieved April 04, 2010, from Mail Online : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-464353/The-king-jungle-doesnt-frighten-lion-whisperer.html