May 2, 2008

SECAUCUS, N.J. -- This week, news in the animal kingdom abounded. Below is a nutshell of three separate news events.

HUNDREDS OF MIGRATING DUCKS DIE IN CANADIAN OIL SAND. A flock of about 500 migrating mallards landed on a partially frozen pond filled with toxic waste, leading to all but five ducks dying, a Canadian official said on Wednesday.

The government is now investigating the oil sands company Syncrude Canada Ltd. in Alberta as to why the company failed to act faster to deploy its water cannons -- which deter the water fowl from landing there. An official said if there was negligence, prosecution would follow.

MONKEY GETS ARTIFICIAL LENSES. A howler monkey at the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City underwent eye surgery on Monday. Named Eli, the 10-year old monkey had cataracts removed and had his natural lenses replaced with acrylic one -- usually intended for children.

The lenses were donated by Texas-based Alcon Surgical and should last for the rest of primate’s life. The zoo’s veterinarian said that within an hour of Eli’s surgery he was “running around and acting like he can see.”

SOUTH AFRICA LIFTS 13-YEAR BAN ON ELEPHANT KILLING. On Thursday, South African officials lifted the 13-year ban of culling elephants, as the herd population has been growing more than five percent each year. The reversal has conservationists concerned that the move would lead to the return of the international trade in ivory.

But officials want to keep a lid on their burgeoning numbers to protect their viability as the animals have no natural predator and can strip vegetation to barren land in a couple years.

South Africa is home to 18,000 elephants, while the southern Africa region has about 300,000 elephants, which is roughly half of the continent’s population. There is no consensus on how to manage elephant populations among the Africa’s various countries’ governments.

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-- The Associated Press