May 20, 2008

SECAUCUS, N.J. -- Here are some noteworthy animal news briefs from around the globe that occurred over the weekend and early this week.

KANGAROOS BEING MASS-SAUGHTERED IN AUTRALIA DUE TO OVER-POPULATION. Monday marked the beginning of what will be a two to three weeklong mass slaughter of kangaroos living in an abandoned building in an Australian suburb. According to scientists the cull is necessitated by over-population that is threatening both the kangaroos themselves, as well as other members of the surrounding ecosystem. Animal rights activist and patriotic Australians alike are in opposition to killing the animals, which are portrayed on the nation’s coat of arms.

According to the Federal Environment Minster, the culling is a “necessary, regrettable last option.” The President of the Wildlife Protection Association of Australia however verbalized plans to take “direct action” if the killing continued. In addition the Association plans to raise enough money to move the kangaroos, instead; an option which was dismissed by the Defense Ministry due to the high expense.

Defense officials would not comment on how many of the 600-resident kangaroos had already been killed.

MOTHER BEAR IS TRANQUILIZED IN ROMANIA AFTER STOPPING CITY TRAFFIC. With half of Europe’s bear population living in Romania, it is not uncommon to see them wandering city streets in search of food. The mother bear and her cub doing so in Brasov last week led residents to report damage she was doing while plundering gardens and garbage. A team tried to urge the two animals back to the wilderness, but to no avail.

Instead, after having stopped traffic for two hours, the pair broke into a four-story building and climbed up to the attic, at which point the decision was made to shoot the mother with a tranquilizer, so she and the cub could be removed.

They were taken to a zoo and will soon be returned to a local bear reservation, according to Officials.

POLAR BEARS TO BE PROTECTED BY THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. Just days before a court-imposed deadline to decide whether or not to place polar bears under the protection of the Endangered Species Act, the Interior Department declared the bears a threatened species, due a continual decline in Arctic sea ice off the coasts of Alaska and Canada caused by global warning. This is the first time the Endangered Species Act is being applied to animals being threatened by global warming.

A year-long investigation performed by Department scientists revealed that persistent warming trends will result in a decline in Arctic ice, the primary habitat for polar bears, which could translate into a loss of two-thirds of the polar bear population by 2050.

Although there was speculation that use of the Endangered Species Act against animals threatened by global warming could have a wide spread impact on carbon dioxide regulations, the decision regarding the bears, also contains provision that will protect energy-related businesses and power plants.

When a decision was not reached by the Department in January, as had been expected, Environmentalists filed a lawsuit to force the issue be decided on by May 15.

WALES GARDEN REVEALS RARE MULTITUDE OF ALBINO TADPOLES. While individual albino amphibians have been previously indentified, the recent discovery of an entire group of albino tadpoles in a garden pond in Wales is unique.

The tadpoles, which were recognizable as albinos due to their distinctively off-white skin and pink eyes, were discovered by the property owner and reported to Froglife’s Wildlife Information Service, a UK volunteer organization. The specific address of the pond has been kept under wraps, so biologists can conduct research and keep a secure watch over the rare tadpoles’ rapid development.

Albinism, a condition caused by an altered gene that fails to produce the normal amount of pigment melanin for proper skin and eye coloration, is much more common in mammals than in amphibians. The recessive trait (a frog can carry the gene but still make pigment) is only evident in a tadpole if both mother and father are carriers, and even then, tadpoles only have a one-in-four chance of showing signs of the disease.

The pond’s owner reports not having seen any albino adult frogs prior to discovering the tadpoles, but the presence of multiple albino tadpoles is indicative that there may be numerous frogs in the area carrying the albinism gene.

CRAZY RASPBERRY ANT INFESTATION POSES GROWING THREAT TO HOUSTON AREA. Since first popping up in the Houston area in 2002, crazy raspberry ants have been wreaking havoc on Texan’s homes and yards, as well as causing damage to electrical systems. The flea-sized insects are believed to have stowed away on a cargo ship from the Caribbean or the Southeast. (Scientist made this assumption based on evidence of cousin crazy ants that are native to those places.)

Half-a-dozen years later, the ants have spread to five counties in Texas, and are proving nearly impossible to get rid of. In addition to resisting over-the-counter insect repellents, each colony of ants has multiple queens, making it so difficult for exterminators to eliminate them, that they are asking the EPA to allow them to use more powerful pesticides.

The crazy raspberry ants are attracted to electrical equipment, resulting in damage to sewage pumps, gas meters, home computers and even fire alarms. Sightings of these foreign ants in areas surrounding the Hobby Airport and the NASA Johnson Space Center, has led the Texas Department of Agriculture , the EPA and researchers at A&M to team up in an effort to control these destructive insects.

WILD LIZARDS SAVED FROM FARE FATE IN VIETNAM. Last Sunday, May 11, Vietnamese Police intercepted an illegal shipment of over a ton of wild monitor lizards that were being transported in wooden boxes via truck to the northern part of the country. After being arrested, the driver admitted to being hired to transfer the lizards. Police will continue to search out the origin of the operation.

The lizards were possibly destined for a restaurant in China or Hanoi, where eating wild animals is a symbol of privileged status. Due to this trend, the smuggling of wild animals has become a widespread issue in Vietnam; over 66 tons of animals were intercepted last year alone.

Tell us what you think about “Wild Lizards Saved, Ants Invade Houston, Albino Tadpoles Born in UK” below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204.

The Associated Press, The Chicago Tribune, The Telegraph and The Gulf Times contributed to this article.