HYDERABAD: A group of fishermen trying to catch fish near the outer ring road at Nanakramguda were taken aback today when instead of a fish, they saw a crocodile in a ditch filled with rain water. As the word spread, several curious residents gathered at the site to have a look at the reptile.According to locals, a huge ditch was dug in a open plot as part of construction of a building. Because of heavy rains and a small canal passing adjacent to the plot, the ditch turned into a pool of water Around noon, the fishermen went to the ditch with fishing rods to try their luck at catching fish. But suddenly a huge crocodile came out of the water. The fishermen escaped unhurt as they were at a distance from the reptile. The panic-stuck locals immediately alerted the police.”We are clueless as to how the crocodile came here. It looks like it might have come along the canal but this is the first time we are seeing it. The locals come here regularly for fishing,” Ramesh, a local said.Officials of Zoo and Forest department swung into action later in the day and made futile attempts to trap the crocodile including dropping meat into the water but the crocodile did not come out. The unusual incident drew thousands of people residing in and around the locality.The officials suspended the trapping operation following sunset and are expected to resume it tomorrow.
Category Archives: Foreign News
New Self-Cloning Lizard Found in Vietnam Restaurant
You could call it the surprise du jour: A popular food on Vietnamese menus has turned out to be a lizard previously unknown to science, scientists say.
What’s more, the newfound Leiolepis ngovantrii is no run-of-the-mill reptile—the all-female species reproduces via cloning, without the need for male lizards.
Single-gender lizards aren’t that much of an oddity: About one percent of lizards can reproduce by parthenogenesis, meaning the females spontaneously ovulate and clone themselves to produce offspring with the same genetic blueprint.
(Related: “Virgin Birth Expected at Christmas—By Komodo Dragon.”)
“The Vietnamese have been eating these for time on end,” said herpetologist L. Lee Grismer of La Sierra University in Riverside, California, who helped identify the animal.
“In this part of the Mekong Delta [in southeastern Vietnam], restaurants have been serving this undescribed species, and we just stumbled across it.”
(See “New Snub-Nosed Monkey Discovered, Eaten.”)
Wild Lizard Chase
Grismer’s Vietnamese colleague Ngo Van Tri of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology found live lizards for sale in a restaurant in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province (see map).
Noting that the reptiles all looked strangely similar, Ngo sent pictures to Grismer and his son Jesse Grismer, a herpetology doctoral student at the University of Kansas.
The father-son team suspected that they may be looking at an all-female species. That’s because the team knew that the lizard likely belonged to the Leiolepis genus, in which males and females in lizards have distinct color differences—and no males were apparent in the photos.
So the pair hopped on a plane to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), telephoned the restaurant to “reserve” the lizards, and began an eight-hour motorcycle odyssey—which ended in disappointment.
“When we finally got there, this crazy guy had gotten drunk and served them all to his customers,” recalled Lee Grismer, who has received funding for other projects from the National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research and Exploration. (The Society owns National Geographic News.)
Fortunately other area restaurants had the lizards on offer, and local schoolchildren helped gather more from the wild. Eventually the Grismers examined almost 70 of the lizards—and all turned out to be females.
Who’s Your (Lizard) Daddy?
The newfound reptile also had rows of enlarged scales on its arms as well as lamellae—bone layers—under its toes that set it apart from other species, according to the study, published April 22 in the journal ZOOTAXA.
The species is probably a hybrid from maternal and paternal lines of two related lizard species, a phenomenon that can occur in transition zones between two habitats. For instance, the new lizard’s home, the Binh Chau-Phuoc Buu Nature Reserve, sits between scrub woodland and coastal sand dunes.
“So species that do really well in one habitat or the other will occasionally get together and reproduce to form a hybrid,” Grismer said.
Genetic tests of the new lizard’s mitochondrial DNA identified its maternal species as L. guttata. Because this type of DNA is passed down only through females, the paternal species isn’t yet known.
(Related: “Evolution in Action: Lizard Moving from Eggs to Live Birth.”)
New Reptile May Be in Hot Water
The newly discovered hybrid species may already be at a disadvantage, Grismer added—even though it doesn’t seem to be rare in the wild.
For instance, some scientists suggest that hybrid species are more prone to extinction because they don’t produce much genetic diversity from generation to generation, according to herpetologist Charles Cole, curator emeritus at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
Genetic diversity keeps a species viable and healthy in the long term.
(See “Hybrid ‘Superpredator’ Invading California Ponds.”)
“At least in terms of lizards, most that are unisexual species—when compared to the lineages of other lizards—have not been around very long,” said Cole, who was not involved with the Grismers’ research.
Because the lizards don’t combine genes during mating, genetic changes arise by random mutations—which are at least as likely to be detrimental as beneficial.
Lizard Hybrid Hardy as a Mule?
However, Cole cautioned, there are also theories that hybrids can be healthier in the short term.
For instance, a hybrid’s cells may be more genetically diverse than those of nonhybrids, because hybrids carry genes from each of their parent species.
“This might mean that the animals are tougher and more adaptable,” Cole said.
(Read how hybrid panthers are helping the rare cat rebound in Florida.)
For instance, he said, mules—crosses between horses and donkeys—”are sterile, but they are really good robust animals that are in some ways a preferred work animal even though they can’t reproduce.”
“So what you get in the unisexual lizards is a mule that can clone itself.”
Man survives bite from deadly sea snake
A MAN has survived a bite from one of the deadliest snakes in the world while fishing off the North Queensland coast.
The 46-year-old was on a trawler on the Bramble Reef when it is believed a sea snake got caught in a fishing net, the Townsville Bulletin said.
The man received a venomous bite to his leg about 8am yesterday. He was taken by EMQ rescue helicopter to the Townsville Hospital from Dungeness, near Lucinda.
Three air crew, a doctor and a paramedic attended the rescue.
Crew member Allan Jefferson said, depending on the amount of venom injected, symptoms can appear after two minutes and death can follow just an hour later.
“It took us about 35 minutes to get to him … we swung past the Townsville Hospital to pick up the anti-venom on the way up,” he said.
“Mortality is 10 per cent without the anti-venom, but improves significantly once administered.
“(When we picked him up) he was in a bit of pain, he was uncomfortable, nauseous, there was definitely something going on. He had sore shoulders.”
Mr Jefferson said medical advisers had explained that other symptoms may include increased heart rate, a loss of feeling in limbs, shortness of breath and drowsiness.
“Symptoms can show up to eight hours after the initial bite,” he said.
“Sea snakes are quite common … I see them swimming on the top of the surface in the marina in Townsville, around where the boats are moored.
“I’ve been here (with EMQ Rescue) for over three years … we have lots of stingers (but) this is the first sea snake bite I have seen.”
The man was admitted to hospital just after 10am in a stable condition.
Townsville region lifeguard supervisor Russell Blanchard said this was the first report of a sea snake bite to his knowledge since an incident at Horseshoe Bay, Magnetic Island at the start of the year.
“It was only a small bite, but the patient was taken to Townsville Hospital,” he said.
“There is a common myth that they cannot penetrate the skin but this is not accurate.
“They are not that common in shore waters where we patrol, but they are more common near the reef … the divers tend to have interaction with them.”
Will there be unity over bio-diversity?
Will there be unity over bio-diversity?
Asia’s economy is the fastest growing in the world. It has led, and is still leading, the World economic recovery. These are undeniable facts.
Asia, especially Southeast Asia, is losing its forests at the fastest rate. The loss of forests is also a loss of bio-diversity. These are undeniable facts as well.
Scientists who compiled the new Red List of Threatened Species recently say only 20% of animal and plant species are under the threat of extinction, and the proportion of species facing wipe out is rising. Their report was released during the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, held in Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 29.
The scientists’ report says 41% of the amphibian species are at risk, making them the most threatened category of animals. And they are threatened because of loss of habitat.
But why should humans be bothered about the extinction of frogs, toads, salamanders and newts?
The answer is simple: because their existence is related to the existence of other species. The loss of 1 species will lead to the loss of another, which in turn lead to the loss of a 3rd and a 4th and 5th, setting a chain reaction till all the species, ultimately including humans, are wiped out.
There is some good news, though. Intensive conservation work has pulled some species back from the edge of extinction. Among them are 3 species bred in captivity and returned to the wild: the California Condor and black-footed Ferret in the United States, and Przewalski’s Horse in Mongolia.
And the ban on commercial whaling has increased the number of Humpback Whales to such an extent that they are now off the Red List.
Though scientists agree that a complete halt to the loss of bio-diversity is not feasible in the world we live in today, they appeal to the world to save 587 sites across the world that are home to 920 species on the brink of extinction.
The scientists, under the Umbrella of the Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE), have said that if the 587 sites are protected, the world could avert an imminent Global extinction crisis.
This is where we I believe China comes in. It is 6th on the list of countries with the most AZE sites. Mexico, with 68 sites, tops the list, followed by Colombia (46), Peru (34), Indonesia (31) and Brazil (27). China has 23.
The conservation of these sites will protect the areas that help conserve plants and animals. These sites maintain crucial habitats, provide refuges, allow migration of species and ensure that natural processes are maintained. They provide livelihood for about 1.1 billion people and are the primary sources of drinking water for more than 33% of the World’s largest cities. Plus, they play a significant role in ensuring food security for the World because they protect fisheries, wild plant and crop relatives, and the ecosystems services upon which agriculture depends.
A Big Q: Why do we need wild plant and crop varieties when we have domesticated all the food crops?
We know that the Irish Potato Famine killed more 1 million people and forced another 1 million more to flee Ireland in search of food between Y’s 1845 and 1852.
Closer home, the epidemics of rice tungro wreaked havoc in the Philippines and Indonesia in the 1970’s and 1980’s.
The difference, and this made the difference between Life and Death, between Ireland in the 1840’s and the Philippines and Indonesia in the 1970s and 1980’s, was bio-diversity.
The Irish had just 2 species of potatoes to choose from, and so they lost the battle, but the Filipinos and Indonesians have hundreds of rice species and subspecies, even from other countries, to choose for hybridization to resist the disease. So bio-diversity’s role cannot be understated.
That’s why we have no option but to protect at least the 587 AZE sites.
China should take the lead here, and declare these sites out of bounds in its development plans, especially because it is one of the about 190 countries that agreed to the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) protocol.
The protocol, which may come to be known as the “Nagoya protocol”, will make it mandatory for companies and researchers to get the consent of the local people before they take flora and fauna from their area for scientific research. This, no doubt, will protect native and endemic species from being exploited for commercial purposes and preserve bio-diversity.
The “Nagoya protocol” reminds us of the Kyoto Protocol, especially because the USA has ratified neither.
The USA’s position makes the future of the “Nagoya Protocol” as uncertain as that of the Kyoto Protocol, and dampens the chances of saving our Planet’s species from Doom.
It’s now for the International community to decide whether or not it will let the future of 6.8 billion people depend on the whims and fancies of a government that rules over just 300 million people. But then the fate of the Kyoto Protocol tells a sad story.
Border security on watch for toad
QUARANTINE officers are doing everything within their power to protect the Far North from an amphibian worse than the cane toad.
But while the black-spined toad is currently being kept at bay, international travellers are being asked to help out on the frontline of defence.
The black-spined toad is one of the region’s most unwanted pests, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service said.
Like the cane toad, the South-East Asian toad has no natural predators.
However, it exhibits an uncanny ability to adapt to colder climates, making it a far more formidable pest than the cane toad.
AQIS northern region scientific manager James Walker said at least 20 toads had been caught in Far North Queensland within the past decade, most of them located onboard ships.
Two black-spined toads were recently spotted in the hold of freighter ship the Territory Trader, which regularly travels between Cairns and West Papua.
While AQIS officers working together with ports staff and shipping companies had so far helped keep the toads at bay, Mr Walker said there were simple tasks people returning to Australia from Indonesia and South-East Asia could help out with, such as checking shoes and luggage before packing.
“Often when we’re travelling we’ll leave bags open and we’ll be very haphazard in how we pack a bag, shoving everything back in at the last minute,” Mr Walker said.
“That’s going to increase the chances of inadvertently having a hitchhiker in your bag.”
The warning came as AQIS celebrated the official opening of its new $3.5 million facility at Cairns airport.
Named the Fitzroy Building, the facility houses eight scientists who gather plant and animal samples from the northern coasts and assess the samples’ threat to
biosecurity.
As the wet season approaches, AQIS and the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy are increasing their defence against unwanted biosecurity threats.
Riverbank poses a snake threat
TIMOTHY Adidi fears it’s just a matter of time before one of the many brown snakes along Rockhampton’s picturesque riverbank strikes someone.
On Friday, Timothy, who says he spends plenty of time with his mates along the riverbank, showed The Morning Bulletin the snake hotspots and tracks they followed.
He spoke up to warn the community about the potential problem at one of Rockhampton’s most popular locations.
The barbecue areas between the Fitzroy bridge and boardwalk were two places where Timothy said he had seen snakes.
“I’ve seen plenty of snakes in the past three to four weeks,” Timothy said.
“I’m always warning the guys not to lie about or anything like that.
“I’m worried about the kids playing in the bushes and people sitting on the side and putting their hands out.”
A Morning Bulletin staff member also saw a metre-long brown snake along the riverbank on Friday.
Timothy’s comments come after a woman, 61, died last week five days after being bitten multiple times by a brown snake at her property near Toowoomba.
The woman died on Tuesday night.
Timothy, who claims to have worked with crocodile hunter Steve Irwin at Pormpuraaw, said he was sure a nest of brown snakes was located along the riverbank, though he didn’t know exactly where.
He said the snakes were more active in the mornings and afternoons.
“They go through the bushes and are pretty much under the cover of the leaves,” Timothy said.
“I would say there’s quite a few snakes there and I’d see one or two a day.”
The problem isn’t just on the riverbank, with snakes becoming more active across the region.
With male snakes roaming to find a partner, sightings are becoming far more common.
Snake Safety
Ways to avoid snake bites include:
Leave snakes alone, particularly if they have been provoked or if they are injured
Know appropriate first aid
Wear appropriate clothing and boots in known snake areas
Do not put hands or feet in or under logs, rocks, tin, hollows or crevices and watch where you are walking.
Source: Queensland Government
Border Patrol Agents Spot Alligator in Donna
DONNA – You can now addalligators to the list of dangers Border Patrol Agents face everyday. A couple of agents spotted an eight foot gator south of Donna on Thursday.
Alligator’s like deep water and the summer flood offered plenty of that.
Some workers were shocked by the dark eyes they saw watching them.
The agents snapped pictures of the gator, it’s not their usual mug shot.
A narrow trail leads to Alligator Lake at the Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco. Park Ranger John Yochum says since the flood several alligators have left the park and have not returned.
“Waterof course rises and that’s a good time for alligators to move anywhere becausethere’s you know they don’t want to go some place that’s dry and hot and theylike deep water. So it’s a good time to disperse,” he said.
Rising water may have forced an alligator to the nearby Llano Grande Resort outside of Mercedes. Game wardens were called in to find the animal. A retiree in the area says he didn’t see the gator and he wasn’t going to try and look for it, either.Ranger Yochum says that’s good advice. He says they’ve never had a report ofan alligator attack, but he warns residents against feeding or trying to get to close to the wild animals.