Time is running out to discover any new species this year! Wired magazine has a series of “top ten” stories for 2008, including one about new species discovered this year. The slide show includes this tiny snake discovered by Blair Hedges of Pennsylvania State University. The post also includes a great story of how a researcher decided to name a new species of catfish after a dedicated worker in the mailroom at his institution. You’ll also find an interesting readRead more
Posts tagged: #endangered species
Amazing discoveries
A recent CNN post captures the amazing diversity (like this dragon millipede) scientists have cataloged in the Mekong Delta region of Southeast Asia. From the article: A scientist visiting an outdoor restaurant was startled to see a Laotian rock rat among the nearby wildlife. The hairy, nocturnal, thick-tailed rat, which resembles a squirrel, had been thought for centuries to be extinct. Imagine making a discovery like this while having some lunch! Make sure you check out the slide show ofRead more
Big Word of the Month: Genetic bottleneck
Biologists use the term “genetic bottleneck” to refer to a period in which population numbers drop dramatically. The name comes from the shape of the graph used to illustrate the phenomenon. Such an event could occur due to disease, lack of food, or rapid climate change. In the recent history of the world, human decimation of species has also led to population bottlenecks. The reduction in genetic diversity that results from a bottleneck can remain for hundreds of generations andRead more
Mistaken identity: coyote or red wolf?
In my first post about red wolves, I discussed the physical and genetic similarities that coyotes and red wolves share. I also showed pictures of both species as a comparison. These two animals are very difficult to tell apart, especially if it is from a distance while one runs through the grass or across the road. Although each species has their own specific body dimensions such as height, length of the legs and snout, and the degree of bushiness inRead more
Land purchase completes Alligator river preservation!
Just a quick note about a small story with big implications for some species that live at the Museum. The recent purchase of about 5000 acres along the Alligator River in eastern North Carolina means that the entire shoreline of this important habitat is now protected. Alligator River is the only river in North Carolina with this type of total protection. Since 1984 Federal, State and private organizations like the Nature Conservancy have pieced together over 250,000 acres to formRead more
Red Wolf Recovery: The Beginning
In my first post about red wolf history, I ended on the topic of red wolf-coyote hybrids and how they were identified from full-blooded red wolves. Since DNA testing was not available in the 1970’s, biologists used skull comparisons as a way of removing hybrids from the remaining red wolf population so that a breeding program could be started. The recovery program was led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), but they needed a place to start theRead more