Joy and Sorrow of a Rhino Mother

the Zoo records a Black-rhino birth... which dies few hours after...!! 
 Last week it was time for joy, and later sorrow, at the zoo. The Rhino couple had been blessed with a baby, but it died after a few hours of birth..

Giving birth to the first baby is always a special occasion to a mother. They prepare for childbirth many months before the day the baby is due – for example buying a cot, and other necessities.   Not only the mother to be but her parents and others too assist in this regard. Presently, even technology assists the parents to check whether the baby conceived is a boy or girl, taking away the suspense about the sex of the baby to be.
There are doctors who check all aspects of the child and mother to make sure they are healthy. The first time a mother would receive lots of advice from the elders and help as well to look after the new born baby.

Anula’s pregnancy not known

But the Zoo’s only female rhino – Anula didn’t have these luxuries. Sadly, no one knew that she was pregnant even though she would have been carrying the baby for over a year as a rhino pregnancy lasts for about 16 months according to literature. It was only on September 9 morning that the keeper had detected that Anula had given birth to a baby rhino and had alerted the veterinary surgeons and zoo authorities about this rare birth.
Mother Anula would have been the most happiest. She would have shown their new born baby to the father rhino – Kosala, who is in the adjacent enclosure. As rhino mothers are careful with their babies, Anula, though inexperienced as it was her first baby, would have licked the female baby rhino. That is the best treatment it could have been given.
The mother and baby were kept separately for better care. After few hours, a zoo keeper who had gone to see the mother and baby was aghast by seeing the lifeless baby rhino in the enclosure. He immediately alerted everyone – and they had rushed to the enclosure. The veterinary surgeons reached the scene quickly but it was too late for the baby rhino.
Everybody in the zoo was sad. The director has called for an investigation. An independent veterinary surgeon from outside had been called to do the necropsy (post mortem) of the baby. It was found out that the baby was too weak and it had weighed only 16 kg whereas the normal weight of a baby rhino is 30-35 kg. The post mortem had revealed some internal bleeding in the head of the baby rhino. It is not clear how the head of the baby rhino was hurt but one theory that the zoo authorities are working on is the possibility that the internal bleeding could have been caused by a kick from the mother who could have been in a panic for some reason. Delivering a baby for the first time, she would have also felt disoriented.

Mother without morning sickness

It isn’t too hard to detect the pregnancy of a human female. The first thing that helps to detect pregnancy is morning sickness, and subsequently the size of the stomach as it gets bigger. But being gentle giants, the rhinos anyway have big bellies, so experts say that it is very difficult to identify pregnancy by just looking at a rhino. Rhinos are short-tempered, so it is also dangerous for vets to get close to the animal to conduct the required tests. If it was known that Anula was pregnant, more care could have been given. “We accept that the death of the new born rhino baby is a great loss to the zoo. An investigation is underway to find out whether there are any lapses,” said the new director of the Zoological Gardens, Anura de Silva.

Rhinos from Japan

The Dehiwala Zoo got down the pair of Black rhinos as a result of a successful animal exchange programme with Japan’s Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, in 2007. In exchange, Sri Lanka sent a pair of Asian elephants – namely Kosala and Anula, whose names were transferred to the Rhino couple. The Black rhino is a Critically Endangered animal in the world that is been hunted for its prized horns. In the 20th Century, the Black rhino was considered to be the most abundant in the Rhino species. But by the latter half of 20th Century, the population of Black rhinos reduced drastically. In the early 1990s the number dipped below 2,500, and in 2004 it was reported that only 2,410 Black rhinos remained in the wild. According to the International Rhino Foundation, the total African population had recovered to 4,240 by 2008. It is believed some subspecies of these Black rhinos are already extinct.
According to the web-resource ehow, female rhinoceroses come into estrus once every 21 days which means they can successfully mate during that time. Females spray urine on dung piles or bushes to alert males that they are in estrus and are ready to mate. Males may come along and spray over the female  urine to ward off potential competition. Females also raise their tails in order to signal that they are ready for mating. After some fighting among the males, the female will select the most dominant male available to mate with.
After winning over the female, the rhinoceros bull will then mate with her. These mating instances can last over an hour as per observations. Males and females have little to do with each other  when no mating takes place and that could be the reason why Kosala and Anula do not bother too much about each other during other times. Once the act of mating is over, the male will usually leave the female, so it is not as intimate as love making by humans.
It is said that calves are usually born within rainy seasons in Africa and Asia – it was raining in Colombo too when the baby rhino was born, so this could have triggered the rhino’s birth in the zoo. Calves are usually born around 2.5 to 4 years apart. Shortly after birth, rhinoceros calves are mobile and can keep up with the herd.

Zoo’s effort in rhino breeding

The Black rhino is the most valuable animal in the world. Any zoo in the world dreams of having a rhino, so it is an honour for the Dehiwala Zoo to have a pair of rhinos. It wasn’t easy to get them down all the way from Japan. They had got themselves wounded when they were being transported and the vets had to take care of them during the initial days. But they had settled down in Sri Lanka and developed an appetite for local food.
Anula and Kosala though shipped from Japan were not from the same zoo. As such, they were strangers.  Considering their size, a fight between them for even a short period can turn fatal. Therefore, the zoo authorities had been very careful in match-making between Kosala and Anula a few years ago. After observing that Kosala and Anula were rubbing their heads, and showing other friendly gestures while being in their respective enclosures, the authorities had quietly opened the gates. Prior to that they had placed a few piles of sand in case they got into a fight so that the loser can get a little time to retreat, and also giving time for the veterinary surgeon and animal keepers to act.
To the joy of all, the match making went well. Kosala and Anula fell in love  and had mated on a few occasions. But though vets were vigilant, the pregnancy could not be detected.
A new enclosure too is been built for the rhino couple and it is dearly wished that Anula and Kosala can become parents to a cute rhino baby, in the foreseeable future.

PLakbimaNews on 23.09.2012 published on LakbimaNews http://www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6955:joy-and-sorrow-of-a-rhino-mother&catid=41:mag&Itemid=12

Lovable creatures of ICE AGE

The recently refurbished Savoy Cinema is running at ‘House Full’ these days, all eager to watch Ice Age- 4; a 3 d movie. After being  disappointed at having to turn back for lack of seats, ZooLander too viewed Ice Age and this week reports about the characters in it...   An ice age, or more precisely, a glacial age, is a period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the earth’s surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of ice sheets in the world. The animals had to migrate, to escape the freezing climate -theme of the Ice Age series. The background to Ice Age- 2 was - the Melt Down and the third covered the Era of Dinosaurs. The ‘Continental Drift’ is the theme of the current movie Ice Age -4, which is being screened around the world and attracting large crowds at packed cinemas.  Perhaps, you have already watched the Ice Age movie. But have you given thought to the kind of animals that are featured in the film? Yes, all these popular characters were based on real animals - mostly fossilized from that Ice age. Browsing through Wikipedia and other websites, Zoolander compiled the natural history of these animals. Manny the Wooly Mammoth Manfred or Manny is a woolly mammoth and is the most important character of all, in all four Ice Age movies. He can be serious and emotional, but is otherwise caring and friendly. In the first film, while passing through the icy cavern, the herd discovers cave paintings of mammoths which were killed by Paleo-Indian hunters; this is an emotional moment for Manny, indicating that the pictures could be 0f him. This shows us his history  and also indicates that something similar may have happened. Manny finds love with Ellie in Ice Age: The Meltdown. In Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, he has a daughter named Peaches. In Ice Age: Continental Drift, he gets into an argument with his teenage daughter before being pulled away by the drift with Diego, Sid and Granny. Woolly Mammoth is a species of Mammoth elephants. They are commonly found in fossilized records and are scientifically identified as Mammuthus primigenius, also known as the tundra mammoth. This animal is known from its bones and frozen carcasses found in north America and northern Eurasia with the best preserved carcasses in Siberia. They are perhaps the most well known species of mammoth and disappeared from most of its range at the end of the Pleistocene (10,000 years ago). Sid - the Ground Sloth Sid is a Ground Sloth shown in all four films as one of the main protagonists. He is portrayed as clumsy, annoying, slow moving, fast-talking, and unpopular; and has a lateral lisp. Little is known about Sid’s life, other than that Sid once lived in a tree with other sloths. The Ground Sloth is also known as Megalonyx which in Greek means “great claw”. It is an extinct genus of giant ground sloths of the family Megalonychidae endemic to North America from the Hemphillian of the Late Miocene era, living about 11,000 years ago. The type species, M. Jefferson, measured about 3 m (9.8 ft) and weighted up to 1 ton. Diego - Saber Toothed Cat Diego is a smilodon - a Saber Toothed Cat, who has a somewhat sarcastic personality, but without  malicious intent. He was sent by his pack to retrieve the human baby  - Roshan; when he found Roshan in Manny and Sid’s care, he pretended to lead them to the humans, but instead planned to lead them into an ambush by  the pack. However, when Manny  saved his life Diego changed his mind, telling him about the pack and helping to counter attack. Smilodon often called a Saber-toothed cat, or incorrectly a Saber-toothed tiger, is an extinct genus of machairodonts. This Saber-toothed cat was endemic to North and South America, living during the Pleistocene epoch (2.5 mya-10,000 years ago). Scrat - Saber toothed squirrel Scrat is a Saber-toothed squirrel who is obsessed with collecting acorns, constantly putting his life in danger to obtain and defend them. He has his own stories in the film, independent of the main plot, which are parallel with the journeys of the other main characters, causing them to interact with him at times. This character is enormously successful and Scrat is viewed as a breakout character, the most popular of the franchise. In a special feature in the second film’s DVD, his name has been stated to be a mix of the words “squirrel” and “rat”, his species allegedly believed to have been a common ancestor of both. Scrat also appears in Ice Age: Continental Drift, when he finds a map leading to a mysterious acorn island, and he goes on a journey to find the island. At the end of the film, he finds ‘Scratlantis’, an island populated by Sabre-toothed squirrels and filled with nuts. The researchers recently found skulls of the Scrat-like animals embedded in rock in a remote area of northern Patagonia, about 100 miles from the city of Allen in the Argentinian province of Rio Negro. Ice Age Facts * The last glacial, called the Holocene glacial, peaked about 18,000 years ago and ended 10,000 years ago. * Ice covered 40 percent of the world 18,000 years ago.  Glaciers spread over much of Europe and North America 18,000 years ago. Ice caps grew in Tasmania and New Zealand. * About 18,000 years ago there were glaciers in Hawaii. 297 * Ice Ages are periods lasting millions of years when the Earth is so cold that the polar ice caps grow huge. There are various theories about why they occur (see climate change). * There have been four Ice Ages in the last 1000 million years, including one which lasted 100 million years. * The most recent Ice Age - called the Pleistocene Ice Age - began about 2 million years ago. * In an Ice Age the weather varies between cold spells called glacials and warm spells called interglacials. * There were 17 glacials and interglacials in the last 1.6 million years of the Pleistocene Ice Age. * The people of the Ice Age risked their lives to hunt the fierce woolly mammoth. It was a good source of meat, skins, bones and ivory.   http://www.houseandhome.org/ice-age-facts

Published on LakbimaNews on 26.08.2012 http://www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6611:lovable-creatures-of-ice-age&catid=41:mag&Itemid=12  

Otter - Swimming legend in the wild

Swimming took a lot of shine at the Olympics 2012 in London, with Michael Phelps, becoming the most decorated Olympian in history. Competitive swimmers train hard and develop their bodies, for competition, while the greatest swimmer in the natural world - the otter, does so for its very survival and appears to do so with pride and joy. ZooLander this week reports on the otter in the Dehiwala Zoo... There is a well known sports club in Colombo named ‘Otters’, which has taken its name after these delightful creatures of the water and master swimmers, making known the clubs special affiliation to swimming. The agile otters are famous for an amazing ability to conquer the river habitats in Sri Lanka. In the wild, it is difficult to observe otters at a close range, as they are naturally shy; yet they are some of the most charismatic  animals you can find in the zoo, where you can observe them closely, and photograph their antics, in captivity. The Otter family has 13  species with 5 otter species recorded in Asia. The species found in Sri Lanka is called the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra). As the name indicates a European part, it might convey that this species is found m0re prevalently   in Europe, which is not the case, but is very widely distributed. They are also known as the Common Otter and Old World Otter. The Eurasian Otter is also tagged as the least social animal. Otters are semi-aquatic; and lives both in water and land. Otters are usually solitary and relatively  nocturnal. When not fishing, they like to sleep. Master swimmer Though clumsy when walking on land, the body of the otter is well designed for an aquatic lifestyle. This swimmer and diver, moves in water by strong undulations of its body and tail and strokes of its hind feet. While human divers use artificial fins, the otter’s feet are webbed in a manner which gives it power to push the water more efficiently. (Webbed feet are common in ducks)The Otter can close its nostrils and ears, when in water, so there is no issue about water going in from these body holes. Its body shape helps the otter to reduce the water resistance when it swims and maintain the speed. Its fur is short and dense and keeps the skin dry by trapping a layer of air around the body. Unlike other marine mammals, otters don’t have blubber and rely on thick fur to keep warm, but this double coat also helps them to keep afloat. It is mentioned that the bubbles of air trapped in their fur give them  a silvery appearance underwater. The Eurasian otter’s nose is about the smallest compared with the otter species and has a characteristic shape, described as a shallow ‘W’. The strong whiskers on their face are believed to be used for locating prey. Fishing for a living The otter’s staple diet is fish. But it also doesn’t mind some unwary frog or occasional water bird. Some studies show that otters have a preference for eels. Being opportunistic feeders, otters do not show preferences for one fish species over another. They will feed on in relation to their locale and seasonal availability. Otters can give a high speed chase to catch a fish, unlike many other animals that silently wait and ambush when the prey  swims towards them. Otters in the wild catch and feed predominantly on live animals; there are only a few recorded instances where it was found to have eaten dead fish. While that is the case in the natural world, the otters in the Zoo have to depend upon the dead fish provided by their keepers. If you visit during an evening, you may also be able to witness the zoo’s otters getting a feast of fish to dine on. Their average daily consumption of food in captivity is about 1.5 kg per day. Blind babies Otters live in burrows on the banks of waterways called Holts. These are usually only accessible from underwater, hence very successful at keeping out the land based predators and gives protection to their babies. The main mating season is from February to March and July. After a gestation period around 60 to 70 days, the females give birth to a litter of usually 2-3 cubs, each weighing about 100-120g. Baby otters are born blind; will open their eyes after one month; will leave the nest at around two months; and are weaned by 3 months. The young stay around their mothers for up to 14 months and reach sexual maturity at 2 or 3 years. It is mentioned that an otter has a lifespan of 10-12 years. Sea going cousin Our otter species which live in river ecosystems have a few cousins that live in the sea. The sea otters inhabit offshore environments, where it dives to the sea floor to forage. The otters are just as happy in salt water as they are in fresh water, often diving down 20 metres and for up to two minutes at a time, although records show that otters can go as deep as sixty or seventy metres and stay under for up to four minutes. They must, however, have access to fresh water to clean themselves with, as the salt water clogs up their fur and inhibits insulation. The Sea Otters prey  mostly on marine invertebrates such as sea urchins, various molluscs and crustaceans, and some species of fish. They develop special techniques to open up tightly  shut shells. First, it uses rocks to dislodge prey and to open shells making it one of the few mammal species to use tools - indicative of how brainy the otter can be. Near threatened Eurasian Otters had been a common species decades ago, now their populations are declining all over the world. The IUCN which publishes the Red List of Threatened Fauna and Flora indicates that many local populations of otters have become extinct.  In their list it is stated that water pollution as the major threat to Eurasian Otters, mentioning that water pollution in fact has caused recent local extinctions from which Western European populations are only  now recovering as a result of environmental improvements and focussed conservation efforts. The IUCN says agrochemicals such as DDT or Mercury affect the otter physiology directly. Pollution also reduces their food supply  due to nitrate-induced eutrophication from agricultural run-off and untreated sewage, and acidification from atmospheric pollutants. Oil spills threaten coastal populations. In parts of the range, illegal hunting is a major issue, and the rise of fish farming has led to conflict, resulting in some countries in licenses to kill otters being issued by authorities. Road traffic accidents too have been recorded commonly when the otters are trying to move from different parts of habitats. Conservation actions Artificial otter Holts are a good way of encouraging breeding among wild otters by providing them with a ready-made safe place to bring up their young.Conservation actions have helped Eurasian Otters to show some signs of recovery, and to halt being classified under extinct. Otters were once common in Sri Lanka too. But habitat loss and pollution have contributed to a decline in their wild populations. So, whenever you visit the zoo and see the otters, think, it is another animal that has been pushed to the limits of extinction due to human activities and that we should be mindful when engaging in development activity and do so carefully without compromising the natural world.

http://www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6527:otter-swimming-legend-in-the-wild&catid=41:mag&Itemid=12

Gold Medalists of Natural World

Published on LakbimaNews on 05.08.2012

Playful in captivity, fearsome in the wild

Bears are some of the most feared carnivorous mammals in Asian forests, but you could easily get deceived by their behaviour as the sloth bears in the zoo seem playful. Brought to the zoo when very young and raised by the ‘Young Zoologists’ and zoo staff, these bears are playful and interesting to watch. This week ZooLander reports on the playful sloth bears at the Dehiwala Zoo..!

Sloth bears are fascinating to watch. Though they inhabit the dry zone jungles in Sri Lanka, it is not easy to spot them in their natural habitats as they are shy animals. If you are really lucky, you could have a glimpse of them in a national park like Yala.  But at the Dehiwala Zoo you will have all the time to observe these secretive sloth bears.
You can meet the sloth bears at two locations within the zoo. The one which is home to the  playful bears, is located near the Aviary and adjacent to Patagonian Cave (Mara)’s den. These sloth bears are really playful unlike in the wild. One of these bears was brought to the zoo while just a baby. It was about 4 months at the time of rescue and had even been hand fed by the animal keepers and the Young Zoologists with the love and care the cubs needed. This baby bear had also been kept in the Pets Corner; which allows visitors - especially the kids; to have a closer interaction with animals. It had been cuddled and the kids had played with it resulting in an acquired playfulness.Though fully grown now, it still likes to swing playfully on the iron swing placed in its enclosure.
This bear has the company of another of its kind, which had been kept as a pet and they can be seen playfully engaging in mock fights. Opening their large lips baring sharp teeth, they sometimes seem as if they are trying to scare one another ... Standing on their hind legs they compete in height, while wrestling is also one of their popular pastimes. But when the day-time heat gets to these bears, they lie under a shady spot in their enclosure and go to sleep. They also enjoy relaxing on the large logs in their den.
The other bear enclosure is located elsewhere and is made to give the feel of an environment closer to their natural habitat in the wild. You can find it on your way to the elephant area and will be a reminder of the bears in the wild.

Termite Suckers
With bushy thick coats of black hair, they do not look as cute as pandas. But they are, our local brand of bear, and their natural range is South Asia. Most sloth bears live in India and Sri Lanka; others live in southern Nepal, and they have been reported in Bhutan and Bangladesh too. Sloth bears live in a variety of dry and wet forests, and also in some grasslands, where boulders and scattered shrubs and trees provide shelter. In areas like Yala, large boulders are the best hideouts for the bear. Some of the hideouts in Yala are also named with reference to these bears such as Walas Kema meaning watering hole for thirsty bears. Wasgamuwa has been a combination of words Walas + Gomuwa which translates as  ‘jungle where the bears roam.’
Sloth bears have shaggy, dusty-black coats, pale short-haired muzzles, and long, curved claws which they use to excavate ants and termites. A cream-colored “V” or “Y” usually marks their chests which resembles a loosely stitched necklace. They have large lips, a long tongue, a pale muzzle and well-developed hook-like claws that enable them to climb trees and dig for termites.
Sloth Bears relish termites and ants; which has earned them the tag insectivores; they are actually omnivorous ready to eat meat as well. Sloth bears employ a well-evolved method to dig out termites.Their long, curved claws are used for penetrating nest mounds, which can be rock-hard. Once they’ve opened a hole, they blow away excess dirt, then noisily suck out the insects through a gap in their front teeth. To do so, they close their nostrils and use their lips like a vacuum nozzle. To support these dietary preferences, the sloth bears’ nostrils have evolved in a way that they can be closed. This helps bears to protect the respiratory system from dust or insects when raiding termite nests or beehives. They also have gaps in their teeth which enable them to suck up ants, termites, and other insects. A sloth bear uses its lips like a vacuum, making rapid, loud “kerfump” noises as it sucks insects from their nests.

Bear Season
Though termites are their favourite diet, sloth bears do not mind a juicy fruity treat. Whenever palu trees are ripe with fruit, in the local jungles, they come out from hideouts as the smell of this sweet fruit is irresistible to sloth bears. The palu season which starts in May and goes on till end July marks an unofficial bear watching season in our national parks. Yala is thought to be one of the best places to watch bears in the open, in the wild, and that’s mainly during this palu season ... as the bears are attracted to the fruit.
Some of the greedy bears that cannot control  temptation even climb the palu trees in search of berries hanging on branches. Zoologists also have records of some greedy young bears that have got dizzy after eating too many palu fruits.
Sloth bear is also a much sort after animal by tourists who visit our national parks. Like Africa’s Big 5, the tourism industry in Sri Lanka is also vying to promote “Sri Lanka’s Big 4” which includes the Sloth Bear along with the Elephant, the Blue Whale and the Leopard – adding importance to sloth bears, making them rank among the top Sri Lankan attractions.
In fact, Sri Lanka has its own sub species of sloth bear that is endemic to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan sub species of sloth bear is highly threatened, with populations continuing to dwindle. Destruction of dry-zone forests is the  main threat, because unlike other large Sri Lankan animals, the Sri Lankan sloth bear is highly dependent on natural forests as a food source, and is a shy animal.

Short Tempered
With their sharp teeth and long claws, the  sloth bears can indeed be a fierce carnivore in our jungles. They are known to be short tempered and are responsible for attacking many forest dwellers that are not careful enough to avert them. In the past, there were occasional news reports about bear attacks. In fact bear attacks are more common than leopard attacks, simply because leopards have a more acute sense that makes them avoid humans before humans feel the presence of the leopard.
Sloth bears lead solitary lives, and most are nocturnal. If threatened, these smallish bears will stand on two legs, brandishing their clawed forepaws as weapons. Their sharp claws could indeed be deadly. There are fairly agile bears that can run faster than a human.
Sloth bears grow to around five to six feet in height, stand two to three feet high at the shoulder, and weigh from 120 pounds (in lighter females) to 310 pounds (the heavy males).

Softer Side
After a six- to seven-month gestation period, sloth bears normally give birth to a litter of two cubs in an underground den. The cubs will often ride on their mother’s back, a feature unique to bears. Sloth bears mate during the hot season - May, June,and July - and usually give birth to two cubs, six to seven months later. After emerging from the den, cubs stay at their mother’s side for two to three years, before heading off on their own.
Sloth bears show their softer side as they are the only bears to carry young on their backs. This behaviour known as ‘piggy-backing’ gives more protection to the young, which are vulnerable to predation, when on the move.

Published on LakbimaNews on 29.07.2012 http://www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6293:playful-in-captivity-fearsome-in-the-wild&catid=41:mag&Itemid=12

Wild boars: Pigs in the wild

Pig’ is considered taboo in many religions and the majority consider them dirty animals, always delving into and eating dirt. Some domesticated pigs in villages rummage in garbage dumps looking for anything - even carcasses that are half rotten. Their fat body is often covered by mud and other dirt that they have caught on their skin, which further reinforces their image as filthy animals. Even the wild form of these domesticated pigs, are considered the same, even though they are named differently and are called wild boars.
The term boar is used to denote an adult male of certain species - including, confusingly, domestic pigs. However, for wild boars, it applies to the whole specie, including, for example, wild boar sows or wild boar piglets. Wild hogs or simply ‘boars’ are also called scavengers in the wild. They indeed are omnivorous scavengers: eating almost anything they come across, including grass, nuts, berries, carrion, and nests of ground nesting birds, roots, tubers, refuse, insects and small reptiles. This scavenging has also earned them the title Forest Cleaners.
Wild boars are not rare and are commonly found in Sri Lanka’s jungles. They still survive in many forest patches that are located very close to human settlements. They are widespread from lowland wet zone forests to dry zone scrub lands. Proving that they are quite adaptable animals, the wild boar can also be found in abundance  in the cold hill country. Some of the coldest places in Sri Lanka, such as the Horton Plains, are also home to wild boars.

Unwelcome Guest
Unfortunately, they are also considered pests by many farmers as they frequently invade farmlands and eat up vegetables and other tubers. Even the law is not strict in protecting them giving the farmers an opportunity to hunt down any intruders to their farmlands. Wild boars become active mainly in the night. Early mornings and late afternoons would be the best time to see these animals that sometimes move in herds in forested areas. They like to rest during other times and also like to dig whenever they get an opportunity.
Wild boars are indeed the wild ancestors of the domesticated pig. Ancient man had captured pigs from the wild and through hybrids they have raised the present domesticated pig. But unlike the domesticated pig, the body of the wild boar is compact and is covered by a heavy layer of fur. They also have a clear ridge on their back made of very thick fur that stand out like a decoration almost like a crown. Their heads are large, but the legs relatively short, giving them a funny appearance.  The fur consists of stiff bristles and the colour usually varies from dark grey to black or brown. This dense fur has given them the chance to survive in colder climatic conditions.
A fully grown boar can grow up to 90-200 cm (35-79 in) in length without the tail of 15-40 cm (5.9-16 in), and have a shoulder height of 55-110 cm (22-43 in). As a whole, their average weight is 50-90 kg, as per web sources. But their sizes can vary according to the region that they live in.
Wild boars have incredibly poor eyesight as they have very small-sized eyes, but they also have long, straight snouts which gives them a strong sense of smell. The snouts of the wild boar are probably one of these animals most characteristic features, and like other wild pigs, it sets these mammals apart. The wild boars’ snout is a cartilaginous disk at the end, which is supported by small bones - the pre nasal, that allows wild boars to use their snouts as excavator backhoes when foraging.

Sharp Tusks
Male wild boars have tusks that can inflict painful injury. Their tusks are continuously growing teeth that protrude from the mouth, from their upper and lower canine teeth. These tusks are used as weapons against their predators. The upper tusks are bent upwards in males, and are regularly ground against the lower ones to produce sharp edges. The tusks normally measure about 6 cm (2.4 in), in exceptional cases even 12 cm (4.7 in). Females also have sharp canines, but they are smaller, and not protruding -- like the males’ tusks, say  zoological experts.

There are many who have fallen victim to attacks of panicking wild boars. If surprised or cornered, a boar (particularly a sow with piglets) can and will defend itself and its young with intense vigour. The males, lower their heads, charge, and then slash upwards with the tusks. Females, whose tusks are not visible, charge - head up, mouth wide, and bite. Their sharp tusk is strong enough to tear the flesh off and it is advised not to walk around jungle roads at times when wild boars are expected to come out. Leopards are the worst predator of wild boars, but with their sharp tusks, the wild boar sometimes turns the tables, making the leopard victim. There are many eye witness records where leopards have been sighted being chased away by angry wild boars. Boar moms can be very aggressive when they have piglets and humans need to be extremely careful, when in the wild, as they do not hesitate to attack anybody to ensure the safety of their piglets.

Different Piglet
After a gestation period of 112 - 115 days, boar mothers raise a litter of 3 - 12 piglets. The sows prepare for the birth by constructing a nest of grass and the babies are born into this. The mother has 8 - 14 teats and each piglet has its own teat from which to suckle. It is said, that the first piglets born choose a teat near their mother’s head so that they have a better chance of attracting her attention and are less likely to be trodden on. The piglets are born with stripes and these help to camouflage them in the undergrowth.
Wild boar piglets look vey different to their parents as they are marbled chocolate coloured and have cream stripes over their bodies. The stripes fade by the time the piglet is about 6 months old, when the animal takes on the adult’s grizzled grey or brown colour. Female wild boars and their offspring live in groups called sounders. Sounders typically number around 20 animals, although groups of over 50 have been seen, and will consist of 2 to 3 sows; one of which will be the dominant female. Group structure changes with the coming and going of farrowing females, the movements of maturing males (usually when they reach around 20 months) and the arrival of unrelated sexually active males.
Wild boars are native across much of Northern and Central Europe, the Mediterranean Region (including North Africa’s Atlas Mountains) and much of Asia as far off as Indonesia. Populations have also been artificially introduced to  some parts of the world, most notably the Americas and Australasia, principally for hunting. Elsewhere too, wild boars, have grown in number, multiplying after escaping from captivity.

Hakka Patas and Snarls
Today, wild boars have been listed by the IUCN as being a species that is of least concern of becoming extinct, in its natural environment, in the near future. Population numbers are suffering on the whole, however, mainly due to hunting and loss of habitats and even in Sri Lanka due to demand for their flesh, hunting of wild boar is on the increase. Earlier, hunters had commonly placed a loaded gun on the  paths frequented by these animals. But nowadays, wire snarls are commonly placed to catch these animals. But the most gruesome method used to kill wild boar is the locally made explosive device called ‘Hakka Patas’. The poachers crush dried fish and other rotting items together with small stones and explosives, which mix wild boars can’t resist the temptation to bite on. When it does, there is an explosion inside the mouth, fatally injuring the animal. But death is not usually instant and it’s a painful slow death, with much suffering.
Unfortunately, not only wild boars, but other animals too frequently fall victim to these traps. Several leopards have already been killed by getting caught in wire snarls. In their attempt to escape, the animal struggles, further tightening the wire and killing the unlucky animal. The hakka patas have already claimed the lives of several elephants as they too bite in to the bait. When elephants fall victim to these explosives, they usually suffer for a long time, as they do not die instantly. So conservationists point out that though wild boar populations are not threatened, the ways poachers kill wild boar can harm  other threatened animals, and measures need to be taken to control the situation.

Facts on Pigs

You would be surprised that their fur had been used for Tooth Brushes until the invention of synthetic materials in the 1930s. Even though these bristles were soft, they had taken time to dry - so these were replaced by plastic bristles.

Here are some other facts on pigs...
l Pigs are intelligent animals.
l Like humans, pigs are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and other animals.
l The pig’s snout is an important tool for finding food on the ground and sensing the world around them.
l Pigs have an excellent sense of smell.
l There are around 2 billion pigs in the world.
l Humans farm pigs for meat such as pork, bacon and ham.
l Some people like to keep pigs as pets.
l Wild pigs (boar) are often hunted in the wild.
l In some areas of the world, wild boars are the main source of food for tigers.
l Feral pigs that have been introduced into new areas can be a threat to the local ecosystem.
l Pigs can pass on a variety of diseases to humans.
l Relative to their body size, pigs have small lungs.
www.sciencekids.co.nz

Published on LakbimaNews on 22.07.2012 http://www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6209:wild-boars-pigs-in-the-wild&catid=41:mag&Itemid=12

Vegan giraffe feared even by the mighty lion

The movie ‘Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted’ -- 3rd in the Madagascar series now showing in Colombo is based on the adventures of a group of zoo animals that escaped from New York Zoo in the USA.   One of the key characters of the movie is Melman the Giraffe. ZoooLander this week reports about  Melman’s kind.
This movie illustrates the adventures of Alex the lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo and Melman the Giraffe that escaped from the New York Zoo, together with a group of mischievous penguins. Among them, Melman is the most awkward, receiving constant treatment, for imaginary medical problems. In the zoo, he wanted to be tested for many ailments; undergoing MRIs, CAT scans, subjecting himself to injections also being put in braces and using crutches, for no apparent illness.  From the first movie itself Melman is worried about a brown spot on its neck; but Melman is a giraffe and has brown spots all over its body, it is the way giraffes are meant to be. An interesting fact highlighted in today’s article is that, the pattern of these large brown spots are unique to each individual giraffe.
Giraffes have distinctive orangish, rusty, or blackish coats which have whitish outlines which has the look of a patchwork cover. The pattern and the colour of the spots  goes with the brownish habitat it lives in: the African grasslands. If it was a stitched patchwork cover, it would have taken a long time to get done, considering that the giraffe is the world’s tallest animal. Male giraffes are taller than females and grow to a height of around 20 feet. Its long legs and necks are the main features that make the giraffe hold the world record for being the tallest animal. A giraffe’s legs alone are taller than many humans, as it is about 6 feet (1.8 meters) high. These long legs also add to the giraffe’s speed on account of the length between the strides. A giraffe usually can achieve a speed of about 35 miles (56 kilometres) an hour over short distances -- and can cruise comfortably at 10 miles (16 kilometres) an hour over longer distances reveal zoologists who have studied the animal in depth.

Multi-purpose Neck
A long neck and height gives the giraffe many advantages. First of all, the long neck enables it to reach leaves of tall trees. Being a herbivore, the giraffe is on a totally vegetarian diet, and the long neck helps, there being no competition with other herbivorous that have no option, but to graze. Acacia trees are their favourite pick. Even the giraffe’s tongue is long! The 21-inch (53-centimeter) tongue helps them pluck tasty morsels from branches. The giraffe spends most of his time eating, and like cows, regurgitate food and chew it as cud. The giraffe is in fact the largest ruminant who can do this trick. It is said that a giraffe eats hundreds of pounds of leaves each week and must travel many miles to find sufficient food.
The giraffe’s height also gives it an added advantage. The large African Savannah is full of threats, but because of its long neck, the giraffe can observe a vast area to detect any impending danger giving it ample time to flee. The long neck is also used as a tool in battle, where young males ‘neck-fight’ to show dominance. Males establish social hierarchies by ‘necking’ which is a combat bout, where the neck is used as a weapon. Dominant males gain mating access to females, who bear the sole responsibility for raising the young. However, such contests are usually not dangerous and just end in a show of power. A fight usually ends when one animal submits and walks away. The giraffe has small “horns” or knobs on top its head that grow to about five inches. Both sexes have horns which are covered with skin. The horns of males are thicker and heavier and are used in fights between males. These knobs also act as a form of head gear in fights protecting from serious harm.
Nature is indeed wonderful and has balanced the gift of height of the giraffe,  which is an advantage in finding food and in detecting danger at the same time, by making it vulnerable at drinking posture. The giraffe’s stature makes it very difficult and dangerous to drink at a water hole, as it has to spread its legs and bend down in an awkward position making it  easy prey to predators like the lion. However, the giraffe can go without a drink for several days as they get most of their water needs from the luscious plants they eat.

Rude welcome to the world
Typically, this fascinating animal roams the open grasslands in small groups of about half a dozen. As mentioned earlier the male giraffe is larger than the female, with a male weighing around 1,600 kg and the female about 830 kg. The giraffe gives birth while standing. The young endure a rather harsh entry into the world by falling more than 5 feet (1.5 meters) to the ground at birth. The new born giraffe can stand on its legs within half an hour of birth and in ten hours will be seen running with the mother.  Baby giraffes are born at an impressive height of six feet. It has been calculated that they can grow an inch a day and just about double their height in one year.
A giraffe can rest standing, but often lies down with its legs folded beneath.  The neck is held vertical except during short periods of sleep, usually for about five minutes when the head is rested on the rump. When a giraffe walks it swings the two legs to the same side of the body at almost the same time. When galloping, the hind legs are brought forward together and placed outside the front legs. Maximum galloping speed is 31-37 mph.
Zoologists have categorized nine subspecies of giraffe that live in different parts of Africa, by difference in coat pattern and by the shape of horns . Although listed as low risk on the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN’s) Red List of Threatened Animals, several giraffe subspecies are rare, including the Kordofan giraffe (G. c. antiquorum) of Sudan and the Nigerian giraffe (G. c. peralta), which is now found only in Chad and is extinct even in Nigeria.
So what do you want..? Do you want to see the adventures of a cartoon giraffe that is showing at a theatre or do you want to see the real ones..? You can watch adventures of Melman by going to the Liberty Cinema or get a Madagascar DVD. But if you want to see the real ones - you definitely have to visit the Dehiwala Zoo..!

Giraffe Facts

n Giraffes do not have vocal chords unlike other animals. But researchers have found that they do have vocal chords, but can not make any sound. It communicates by waving its tail.

n Giraffes and humans have the same number of neck bones; both have 7 bones in their neck. The only difference is the giraffe’s bones are much longer.

n Who will win if a giraffe and a lion start fighting? Are you thinking that a lion will win? A lone lion won’t dare to start a fight against a giraffe. A giraffe can crush a lion with its long legs. Lions and giraffes do not relate well and stay away from each other.

n Giraffes walk differently from most other animals. It walks by stepping forward with both right legs and both left legs instead of alternating them.

n Giraffes have very long tongues which can be as long as 19 inches. The tip of its tongue is blue and black to prevent from sunburn.

n Giraffes have very large hearts, as it needs to pump very high blood pressure, and weighs around  26lbs.

n Giraffes are the tallest land animals on earth at the moment and grow to be more than 18 feet, in height, and have the longest tails. Giraffe calves are about 5 feet tall at birth.
n Giraffes need about 36 Kg of food each day to survive. It does not eat all the leaves of a tree at once. In some instances when a giraffe starts eating carnivorous ants that are symbiotic with some Acacia species attack, reducing  the amount of time the giraffe can spend browsing on any one plant.

n The average life span of a giraffe is about 25 years.

n Giraffe’s body spots are similar to human finger prints in the sense they are unique to each individual animal.

n Giraffes’ tongues are almost 2 feet long.

n Giraffes spread their front legs, to drink water at ground level as their tall necks are shorter than their legs.

n Giraffes use their markings as a camouflage among trees.

n Giraffes’ mouth has a hard inner surface making it easy to eat thorny plants.

n Giraffes cannot cough.

Source: http://www.bestfunfacts. com/giraffes.html

Published on SundayTimes on 15.07.2012 http://www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6128%3Avegan-giraffe-feared-even-by-the-mighty-lion&Itemid=56

‘Ol spiky hair makes ‘Man-eaters’ aplenty

‘Ol spiky hair makes ‘Man-eaters’ aplenty
Seemingly harmless Porcupines

Porcupines, though attired in sharp spiny quills, and look harmless, are in reality the cause for tigers and leopards to turn in to ‘Man eaters.’ ZooLander reports this week about these elusive animals.

Though it has hundreds of spiny quills, porcupines do not look like a threat. Being a rodent it innocently goes about looking for food, seemingly with a big appetite. Did you know that these innocent looking porcupines have been the cause of deaths of hundreds of men and women in India and elsewhere in the world..?
Well, they are the indirect cause, as the wound made by their spiny quills, is that which turns predators such as leopards and tigers into cripples, turning them in to ‘Man-eaters.’ Jim Corbett in his book Man-eaters of Kumaon explains clearly the reason for this and says “A tiger when killing its natural prey, which it does either by stalking or lying in wait for it, depends for the success of its attack on its speed and, to a lesser extent, on the condition of its teeth and claws. When a tiger is suffering from one or more painful wounds, or when its teeth are missing or defective and its claws worn down, and it is unable to catch the animals it has been accustomed to eating, is driven by necessity to killing human beings. The change-over from animal to human flesh is, I believe, in most cases accidental”
Jim Corbett further explains what he means by ‘accidental’ by bringing in the example of Muktesar the Man-eating Tigress that had killed 24 villagers. “This tigress, a comparatively young animal, in an encounter with a porcupine lost an eye and got some fifty quills, varying in length from one to nine inches, embedded in the arm and under the pad of her right foreleg. Several of these quills after striking a bone had doubled back in the form of a U, the point and the broken-off end being quite close together. Suppurating sores formed where she endeavoured to extract the quills with her teeth, and while she was lying up in a thick patch of grass, starving and licking her wounds, a woman selected this particular patch of grass to cut as fodder for her cattle”.
That was how Tigress Muktesar had ‘accidentally’ become a man-eater. So when you go back on the timeline of Muktesar, it is clear that porcupines have to take some blame for creating  these ‘Man-eaters.’ This is not the only case; many of the ‘Man-eaters’ about whom this expert hunter-naturalist writes, have had swollen limbs with painful wounds caused by porcupine quills. It is mentioned that these predators relish porcupine meat and do not hesitate to attack. But porcupines have  a well proven defence mechanism in the quills around their body that’s is covered in multiple layers of them, with the longest quills growing from its shoulders to about a third of the animal’s length. Its tail is covered in short, hollow quills that can rattle when threatened.

Best defence is attack
The quills are in fact the modified hairs coated with thick plates of Keratin and they are embedded in the skin-musculature. A porcupine can also drop their quills by shaking its body, but quills cannot be projected at attackers as believed in the past. From ancient times, it was believed that porcupines could throw their quills at an enemy, but this is just a myth, say zoologists.
When cornered, they would raise their spines and rattle their tails. If that does not deter the predator, then a porcupine takes on the aggressive position and moves backwards or sideways pushing the loosely attached quills deep into the body of the unwary predator. Porcupines can launch this backward attack so effectively that, most brushes between predators and the Indian porcupine end in death or severe injury. Every time the pierced animal moves, the barbs at the end of the quills penetrate further into the body. Often, the quills pierce vital organs and the animal dies. Within a few weeks, the porcupine will grow back the lost quills.
It is mentioned, that on an average a porcupine will have about 30,000 short and long quills, which in fact are very special hairs. The quills are comparable in hardness and flexibility to slivers of celluloid, are sharply pointed, and can penetrate any animal’s skin. In addition, the quill tips consist of tiny barbs (sharp points similar to arrows), which makes   a quillvery hard to remove when it has pierced the skin and is entrenched. The quills that do the most damage are the short ones that line the porcupine’s muscular tail.

Family members in all over the world
There are 29 different species of porcupines distributed around the world. There are two types of porcupines: Old World porcupines, which live throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa; and New World porcupines, which live in Canada and the United States. Porcupines are nocturnal (active at night), slow-footed, and stocky and spend much of their time on trees, sometimes not coming down for days, at a time. They are herbivores (plant-eaters), feeding on bark, buds, leaves, fruits, grasses, and vegetables.
The name Porcupine is derived from the old French words meaning the ‘Spine pig’. Porcupines are large rodents that belong to the mouse and squirrel family and are in fact the 3rd largest rodents in the world after capybaras and the beavers. Well rounded, large and slow, porcupines feed on leaves, herbs, twigs and green plants like cabbage. The North American porcupine often climbs trees to find food. The African porcupine is not a climber and forages on the ground.
The specie found in Sri Lanka is called the Indian Crested Porcupine and the scientific name is Hystrix indica. Sources indicate that they can grow to around 0.9 m (3 ft) long and weigh about 14.5 kg (32 lb). Our porcupines are mostly nocturnal, but do  sometimes forage for food during the day. There are several porcupines in the zoo and they are also found lazily resting during daytime. It is even difficult to photograph them, as they find refuge in the large cylinders, placed in their enclosure. However, when they are being fed, they are quick to come to the dining table.
Adaptable animals, porcupines are seen in some suburban areas of Colombo too. They are not categorized as threatened by the IUCN. When you visit the zoo next time, don’t forget to see the porcupines too. Their den is located near the old quarry.

Leopard versus Porcupine

A battle between a leopard and a porcupine has been photographed by professional wildlife photographer Shem Compion in the Mashatu Game reserve, in Botswana. This young male leopard gets a prickly reception after deciding to make a meal of a porcupine. The big cat was left with sore paws and a bruised ego after losing out in a battle of wits with its spiny opponent. Using all his hunting techniques, the two-year-old male tried pouncing on the porcupine from above, prodding him and trying to roll him over, but to no avail.
Undeterred, the hungry feline even tried extending a gentle paw as the porcupine shook its foot-long spines ferociously. After 25 minutes and several painful spines in his paws, the big cat was forced to accept defeat and retreat with his tail between his legs.
Source:  ww.monstrous.com/ Monstrous_ animals/Leopard_versus_Porcupine.html

Published on 08.07.2012 http://www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6051%3Aol-spiky-hair-makes-man-eaters-aplenty&Itemid=56

From Rio to Rio: After the Earth Summit

ZooLander this week looks at the outcome of RIO+20 and will follow some positive actions taken by participating countries as stated in Rio to Rio, a special book published to coincide with the recently concluded Earth Summit. It is insightful and showcases how the United Nations (UN) has attempted to learn
from the past and move forward to protect the environment.

This is the first weekend after the United Nations Rio+20 Earth summit. The Summit has not yielded the expected results politically, but it has become a forum for the community to get together and discuss the “Future We Want” at international level.
Twenty years after the original Earth Summit, the signatories to Rio+20, last week, did not make very strong commitments. However, this can still be a blueprint document on how to continue with development on a more sustainable path. It was taken as a positive outcome by optimistic analysts. Zoolander this week publishes some extracts from Rio to Rio in the interest of our readers.
The final written outcome of the Rio summit is in fact the hard work put in by negotiators from different countries. There were several views which prevented it from becoming a fully fledged document with strong recommendations but getting it signed has been considered a win for conservation by optimists.
Under the title ‘The Future we Want’ there is a section which deals with ‘Our Common Future.’ The signatories, as world leaders have a personal obligation to the pledge, that reads as: “We, the Heads of State and Government and high-level representatives, having met at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 20-22, 2012, with the full participation of civil society, renew our commitment to sustainable development and to ensuring the promotion of an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable future for our planet, and for recent and future generations.”
The leaders had recognized that poverty eradication, changing unsustainable and promoting sustainable patterns of consumption and production, and protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development are the overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development. As Zoolander pointed out last week unsustainable development has been the core of most of the environmental problems and we hope that the leaders who signed this document will not forget this fact. They also pledged to introduce sustainable goals for development, similar to the Millennium Development Goals that were set up and which have to be met by 2015. The initial plan of the RIO+20 included coming to an agreement on the Sustainable Goals at the 2012 summit, which however did not materialize.

Protests
However, many NGOs are against the current document, claiming that the Rio+20 Summit is a failure. They wanted a very strong document and calls this only a blueprint that will not make governments work toward getting their acts together. On the other hand, most of them are also against the Green Economic concept that was being promoted. This has also been a common ground shared by the developing countries as pointed out earlier in this column. The indigenous people too have joined the protest against this outcome saying that nature cannot be valued.
Many of those who protested said that, “World leaders have delivered something that fails to move the world forward from the first Rio summit, showing up with empty promises at Rio+20,” and pointing that the, “The RIO+20 text is a polluters’ plan, and unless people start listening to the people, history will remember it as a failure for the people and the planet.” Some kids too have joined this protest. They had even gone to the extent of tearing off the papers with the Rio+20 text.
So this has painted the outcome of the Rio summit as one that cannot be celebrated. But this was not the case in Rio 20 years ago.

Rio Conventions
Twenty years ago, in 1992, the feeling soon after the first Earth Summit would have been different. The Earth Summit ended by introducing three new International Conventions which have been signed and were adopted later on. These three conventions – namely, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) continued to work on their areas to protect the environment. The world’s governments of developed nations too had agreed to put aside a portion of their income for Environmental Protection and this money has been put into a fund called the Global Environment Fund (GEF).
The UNFCCC sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change. The UNCCD aims to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought in countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification, particularly in Africa, through effective actions at all levels, supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements, in the framework of an integrated approach which is consistent with Agenda 21, with a view to contributing to the achievements of sustainable development in affected areas.
The objectives of the CBD are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from commercial and other utilization of genetic resources. The agreement covers all ecosystems, species and genetic resources, and CBD will also hold its next meeting – the 11th Conference of Parties (COP11) be held in neighbouring India.

From the Amazon to the Himalayas...

Rio to Rio: A 20-Year Journey to Green the World’s Economies ranges widely, from the Amazon region to the Danube River Basin to the Himalayas to tell the stories of projects and programmes backed by the 182 member nations that make up the GEF. GEF CEO and chairperson, Monique Barbut, hosted the book launch and panel discussion at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), better known as Rio+20 that took place in Rio de Janeiro on the 20th anniversary of the first Earth Summit in Rio.
Chapters of this book include the story of the revival of the Danube River Basin in one of the GEF’s first projects conducted in the Balkans region during a time of civil conflict. There is the story of the largest rainforest protected area programme – the Amazon Region Protected Areas programme in Brazil which has resulted in dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across a network of rainforest areas, larger in total than the Ukraine. The GEF’s role as the manager of the Least Developed Countries Fund is illustrated by an extraordinary project underway in the Himalayas of Bhutan where glacial melt attributed to global warming threatens to burst the banks of high mountain lakes, endangering communities downstream. Stone by stone, villagers working for good wages under the programme hike to the highest elevation work site in the world where they hand carry stones to make channels for the lake overflow and helping to avert the threat of so-called glacial lake outburst floods, or GLOFs.
The CEO of GEF has also said that the Fund has plans to conduct more programmes to protect the ocean’s biodiversity through the latest programme they are funding on the high seas. This will mainly aim at protecting commercially viable fish like Tuna that are dwindling due to overfishing.

Published on 01.07.2012 

Rio+20: Earth Overloaded

ZooLander on a previous Sunday reported on Environmental Summit RIO+20 and the development towards it in an article titled Road to Rio+20. Here Zoolander reports from Rio on RIO + 20 which took place from 20 - 22 June under the key theme the Green Economy. What impact could it make on Mother Earth, Zoolander investigates...

On many occasions, ZooLander has pointed out, with the continued threat to species, there may come a time when there will be a need for safe houses like the Noah’s Arc, as in the biblical story about varied species being saved from a great flood that washed across earth. In those articles Zoolander also highlighted the potential role of zoos  in protecting the Earth’s biodiversity, by providing at least some of them, with a last home when risked with extinction in the wild. But it is not only the species that are impacted; the thoughtless and unsustainable actions of humans have also started impacting on them too, on a large scale at that.
A recent study has revealed that there will be a need for an Earth that is one and a half times the size of the Earth of today, to replenish the annual consumption by humans. We are not giving enough time for mother earth to revive from services and resources yeilded to us and this will surely boomerang on all of us. The repercussions have already started to impact. Humans burn fossil fuels for energy, which leads to emission of carbon dioxide. This eventually leads to global warming which is now triggering climate change and large scale catastrophes that are happening around the world. The earth’s biodiversity too is in peril due to human activity. Scientists estimate that by 2100 half the species living on earth today will be in peril if we continue our actions in the same manner that we are doing at present. Over exploitation, habitat loss, introduction of invasive species - the list of threats is long.

Silent Spring
The impact of human activities on the natural cycles came to light 50 years ago. Rachel Carson - an American environmental activist and author published a book that has been tagged as the first time in history in documenting how human activities impact nature. Marking the rise of the present day environmental movement, Carson wrote Silent Spring, which was published in 1962; in it she tells of how the extensive use of DDT resulted in the decline of bird populations. DDT has been commonly used as a pesticide and has penetrated to birds through lower levels of the food chain as the chemical is sprayed on worms and other insects. The birds that feed on these affected little creatures also ingested the DDT which accumulated in their bodies, which led to the thinning of the birds’ egg shells. So when the mother bird - with utmost care - sits on the eggs in the nests to hatch them, the shell crack.
Silent Spring first highlighted these facts which became an eye-opener, setting the stage for environmental activism. More and more people started talking about the need to protect the environment, and scientists started connecting the dots that led to the findings that revealed the causes of the “bad things” that had repercussions in destroying the environment.

Earth Summit
In recognition a landmark Environmental Summit was held in Stockholm in 1970. Held 40 years ago, it was the first time that an international level summit had been convened, to act in unison to protect the environment of the earth. However, industrialization continued to take its toll on the environment and the need for action was evident. The United Nations intervened and organized another landmark summit titled Earth Summit which was held in 1992. The Earth summit was  attended by over 100 world leaders and inspired global environmental activism. The Earth Summit also launched 3 new conventions namely the Convention on Biological Diversity, Climate Change convention and the convention to Combat Desertification. Some salvage efforts have been taken during the past 20 years since the first Earth Summit, but the Environment continues to degrade putting the Earth in a worse position. The Earth’s population too is expanding rapidly calling for more exploitation of its resources.
Since 20 years from the original earth summit, this earth summit has been convened and in this backdrop, many believe the RIO + 20 is a ‘need of the hour’ summit to save Mother Earth. The main summit was held on 20, 21 and 22nd in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro – and all the nations that are part of the United Nation’s family were in this city discussing and debating on how to move forward.

RIO + 20
Over 100 world leaders gathered in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro to participate in the RIO + 20 summit, that has been set up as a follow-up to the original Earth Summit which was convened in the same city. The Earth summit held 20 years ago aimed to make human actions take on the sustainability path with the realization that we will deplete the earth’s natural resources if we proceed in a scenario of ‘business as usual’. Many pledges were made and nations agreed to take measures on sustainability to protect the environment. But though some effort has been taken to protect the environment, the Earth’s environment continues to be depleting.
It has been a debated that the 2012 summit would not be as successful as the summit held 20 years ago, but it did provide a forum for many parties to get together and interact, setting up common goals to protect the earth. The role of governments is very crucial in protecting the earth, but the political will of the leaders is often being questioned as decisions are made in many different blocs of power. As an attempt to push the need to act in a different way, another summit for legislators too was set up at RIO+20 as the participating legislators continue to push their governments forward.
The Rio+20 Summit had nearly 50,000 participants and the main theme was the Green Economy.  Natural Capital was another subject discussed.Civil society and private sector too were represented  and they too made pledges to seriously heed the need to protect the environment.

What is Natural Capital?

Natural capital is the extension of the economic notion of capital (manufactured means of production) to goods and services relating to the natural environment. Natural capital is thus the stock of natural ecosystems that yields a flow of valuable ecosystem goods or services into the future. For example, a stock of trees or fish provides a flow of new trees or fish, a flow which can be indefinitely sustainable. Natural capital may also provide services like recycling wastes or water catchment and erosion control. Since the flow of services from ecosystems requires that they function as whole systems, the structure and diversity of the system are important components of natural capital.
What is Green Economy?

The green economy is one that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities. Green economy is an economy or economic development model based on sustainable development.

Published on LakbimaNews on 23.06.2012 www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5895%3Amother-earth-overloaded&Itemid=56

The Painted Stork An opportunist at the zoo

The zoo is home to many free living creatures too and birds’ top this list. As reported by Zoolander in an earlier feature - Airport in the Zoo, the zoo feeds fish to the pelicans daily. There are other opportunists too who come to snatch a free meal and painted storks are leaders of this set.

Visit Minneriya National Park; you would surely  see  hundreds of painted storks waiting on the edges of the Minneriya Tank like statues. Some of them who start feeling hungry would be wading in the shallow murky waters of Minneriya trying to catch a fish ot two. Visit the famous paradise sanctuaries for birds - Bundala or Kumana  - and wherever you go, this bird - the Painted Stork would be a soothing and relaxing sight. But you try to get closer, and they would take wing. However, there is one place where you can observe them very closely. You guessed correctly - it’s  the Zoo.

Living free

The painted storks at the zoo are not caged. They live freely in the old quarry pit and come into the feeding area everyday at around 2 O’clock. Yes - they do not miss this opportunity to get a free meal, earning them the reputation of being opportunists. It is not unfair to call them opportunists as the zoo’s give-away fish meal is meant mainly for the pelicans which visit the zoo following in the foot-steps (wing beats?) of their ancestors which were released from the zoo in the 1970s.
The painted stork is the most beautiful of the stork family. As its name indicates, the bird is colourful and looks very much nicer at close range. Painted storks have a long orange-yellow coloured bill with a down-curved tip. The head of the adult is bare and orange or reddish in colour. There is a distinctive black breast band with white scaly markings. The band continues into the underwing feathers and the white tips of the black coverts give it the appearance of white stripes running across the underwing lining. The rest of the body is whitish in adults and the primaries and secondaries are black with a greenish gloss. The legs are yellowish to red and have sow webbed feet to make it easier for these birds to live by wading in shallow waters. The short tail is black with a green gloss.

But the most beautiful feature of this stork is its long tertials or flying feathers that are tipped in bright pink -- and at rest they extend over the back and rump. As feathers overlap on each other, it makes a gradient effect adding more beauty to the bird. Perhaps this coloration has led to the bird  being named the painted stork.But this unique feature is barely visible at a distance. To observe the gradient effect on these pink feathers, you must visit the zoo to meet the painted stork at closer range. It is indeed one of nature’s beauties and you can’t resist clicking on these birds, when   seen at a close range.

At feeding time near 2 O’clock at the Old Quarry, you can meet up to 6 - 10 painted storks. Some of them are even bold enough to ascend to the top of the old hut setup in front of the quarry in search of the tractor which brings the basketfuls of fish to feed the pelicans, oblivious to the onlookers who are observing them closely. When the fish is being unloaded to the feeding area, they too join the feeding frenzy trying to grab a fish as if it is the last fish in the whole wide world. The painted storks get the upper hand against the pelicans, as they can use their height and aim straight for the fish, and bend and snatch in a quick motion.

Painted Storks in nature

Though the painted storks at the zoo have become opportunistic feeders, at other times they have to be wading in shallow water to catch fish. The painted stork finds fish, in a unique way. They sense the fish by touch, while slowly sweeping a half open bill which is submerged in water. They walk slowly and also disturb the water with their feet to flush fish. The movement of the feet flushes the fish and other little creatures such as frogs. Once the fleeing creature touches the open beak, it automatically closes, triggered by the slightest touch of the fleeing creature.

The preferred depth for painted stork for hunting fish is about 12 to 25 cm of water and deeper waters are avoided. Sometimes, they feed in groups in shallow wetlands and this is  something interesting to watch.  Zoologists have found that painted storks forage mainly during the day, but also may do so late at night under exceptional conditions. After they are fed, they  stand still on the shore for a long duration and the best place for seeing such a relaxing group is at the Minneriya tank.

The painted storks breed on trees along with other water birds. Their platform nests are typically placed on a tree on an island or in an otherwise undisturbed area. As observed by zoologists the best nesting sites are at the tops of trees and birds fight for these locations

Near threatened

Although the most abundant sites for the Asian storks can be found in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and even in China, their populations are said to be declining the world over and are tagged a ‘Near Threatened’ species. The painted stork still remains a common bird in Sri Lanka even recording sightings in suburban areas of the capital city of Colombo. This species is classified as ‘Near Threatened’ because it is thought to be undergoing a moderately rapid decline in population owing to hunting, loss of wetlands and pollution.

On your next visit to the zoo make a point to observe this beautiful stork at close range; also be mindful not to be a polluter of the environment or destroy their habitats, unnecessarily contributing to the decline of this bird specie.

Published on LakbimaNews on 17.06.2012 http://www.lakbimanews.lk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5806%3Acrowned-queens-of-the-night&Itemid=56

IT’S Black-naped ...AND Lanka’s ‘hari hawa’ is a hare

Mating Dance of a Hare couple (c) Susan Yeomans

Hawa hari Hawa’ the Sinhala version of Bugs Bunny is a popular cartoon character even today. This animated cartoon character was created in the 1930s in America and  won the hearts of Sri Lankan children with the transmission of the of the Sinhala dubbed version created by Titus Thotawatte, on Rupavahini in the 1980s. Then there was also the Russian adaptation of the cartoon character of a rabbit in ‘Just You Wait’ based on a battle between  a bad wolf outwitted by a smart rabbit; a cartoon character created in 1969, which still frames the rabbit as a popular hero ...

Rabbits have a very close affinity to our culture and they are even mentioned in the Jathaka stories and other folklore. In Sasa Jathakaya the Bodhisathva had been born as a rabbit and had sacrificed himself in offering its body and flesh to provide nourishment to a hungry beggar. In another story, a sleeping rabbit  awakened by the sound of a palm leaf falling on to a pile of dried palm leaves had  started running assuming that the sky is falling. And the story goes that the rabbit  continued running shouting that the sky is falling and all the other animals in the jungle joined in, until a wise lion had decided to verify the story; it’s testimony to the rabbits’ easily frightened nature.

Rabbits are also known to have inspired poets in ancient times, where the patterns of craters on the moon as seen at ground level on earth had been compared to a rabbit – and this rabbit on the moon legend still lives on, particularly for children’s amusement.

A Black-naped Hare at Yala NP (c) Susan Yeomans

A popular animal in legends and folklore, it is also known to be a gentle harmless creature of the animal kingdom which has to run for its life most of the time, being hunted by many predators. Their cute and cuddlesome appearance adds strength to a distinctive nature as an innocent creature that does not harm anyone. But do we have rabbits in Sri Lanka? Well, we have bunnies that hop around on the grasslands, but they are called ‘hare’ - to be precise, and the species is the “Black-naped Hare”.

It owes its name to the blackish patch that can be seen on its neck or the nape. The hare has a grayish-white coat and a short and grayish tail. The under parts are whitish. The Black-napped hare measures about 40-50 cm which is quite large for a member of the rabbit family. Hares like to live solitarily or in pairs, but they can also be present in groups. When ever they move in a group, it is called a “drove”.

Good Runners and Good breeders

The Black-naped hare is on the lower level of food chains, where many predators would like to hunt it; with predators not confined to land, but also in the sky, such as the flesh eating raptors - eagles and kites.  It is a precautionary habit of rabbits to flee whenever there is an apparent threat. As the hares’ eyes are positioned on the sides, their vision covers larger areas, and they can even see behind, without turning their heads. Their long ears too help in taking in danger signals around them.
Hares generally move by hopping around, but when the need arises, can be very fast-moving. Some of the European hares, when necessity demanded have clocked speeds of up to 72 km/h (45 mph).
A prolific breeder, hares, generally give birth to 4 to 8 litters each year. This helps them  compensate for the high level of predation.

Rabbits and Hares
There are differences between rabbits and hares even though in Sinhala we call both - ‘Hawa’. Both belong to the same family, but there are prominent differences. One of the major differences is that hare babies are born with their eyes open and with a fur coat for protection and safety, from day one. But rabbits give birth to blind naked babies that do not have a fur coat. The babies born with their eyes open and who can fend for themselves are called precocial and the blind and hairless at birth are called as altricial.

Nests of the hare and the rabbit are also notably different. Hares do not have underground hideouts - burrows as do other rabbits, but rather give birth to the young in a shallow depression or flattened nest of grass called a ‘form’. Hares adapt to the lack of physical protection, relative to that afforded by a burrow, in being born fully furred and with eyes open.

Hares are also generally larger and faster than rabbits. The large feet of the hare compared to those of the rabbit, makes them faster runners. The prominent ears of the hare are also longer than those of the rabbit.

Fecal Pellet
Though they tend to run-away whenever they spot you, the presence of the black-naped hare is not hard to determine, as they leave their trace, with unmistakable fecal pellets wherever they have fed on. When you step on the lawn, it is not hard to find out who the trespasser is. Presence of these fecal pellets is used even by scientists to determine the presence of rabbits and hares. On one occasion researchers on the Seychelles island had studied the habitat use and feeding ecology of the introduced Indian black-naped hare with a view to assessing the impact of the hares on vegetation –  and vicariously on several other rare endemic land birds and on some seabird species. By studying fecal pallets present in an area, the number and abundance of hares had been determined.

In addition, they had also analyzed these fecal samples to determine the kind of plants the bunnies feed on. Analysis of fecal pellets showed that at least 24 of the 130 plants recorded in these remote islands were eaten by hares. They also determined that, the hare aids in plant seed dispersal, and browsing may prevent the regeneration of some invasive trees, but which are also  important foraging for several rare endemic land birds and is used as nest sites by some seabird species. So a little bunny that grazes innocently can impact ecology in a big way.

A Black-naped Hare at Yala NP (c) S.Davis

IUCN Listed ‘Least Concern’

Black-naped hare is distributed throughout Sri Lanka except in high altitudes. They are also present in India and are also called the Indian hare. The Black-naped hare is still common in many parts of Sri Lanka, even outside protected jungles. It was not a long time ago that many lawns of suburban gardens around Colombo were feeding grounds for these black-naped hares. Even today they are recorded in some areas very close to the capital city, but their population has declined with the rapid urbanization.

The black-naped hare is not threatened and is listed as of ‘least concern’ in the red list of IUCN. But lately, this abundant species has become the target of poachers, making the animal’s life vulnerable and hastily raising concern for the future of the animal. You would also wonder how the hares in your areas are no longer a common sight. Perhaps, your pet animals like cats and dogs too could have helped to wipe out the black-naped hare population from your area. Cats and dogs which are introduced animals can be disastrous for hare populations, especially by hunting their young ones.

Differences between Hare and Rabbit

Differences in Physical features

l    There are several differences in the physical features of hares and rabbits that allow us to distinguish between the two.
l    Hares are generally larger and faster than rabbits.
l    Hares have longer ears and larger feet than rabbits.
l    Hares have black markings on their fur.
l    Rabbits are altricial i.e. their young are born blind and hairless. In contrast, hares are generally born with hair and are able to see (precocial). Young hares are therefore able to fend for themselves very quickly after birth.
l    A young hare is called a leveret and a young rabbit is called a kitten, kit, or, the least correct but very commonly- a bunny.
l    Hares have very long and strong hind legs, more  than the rabbits.
l    Rabbits and hares both molt and then grow new hair. This happens in both spring and in fall. Rabbits’ brown summer fur is replaced with fur that is more grey. Hares, especially those living in cold, snowy regions, turn white in the winter.
l    Hunters say that the hare has a much stronger, gamier flavour than rabbit (which actually does taste like a milder version of chicken).
l    Both rabbits and hares have short tails.
Comparison of Lifestyle and Behaviour
l    Hares have not been domesticated, while rabbits are often kept as house pets.
l    All rabbits (except the cottontail rabbit) live underground in burrows or warrens, while hares live in simple nests above the ground (as does the cottontail rabbit). Rabbits also have their litters underground. Hares rely on running rather than burrowing for protection.
l    Rabbits are very social animals; they live in colonies. Male rabbits even fight within a group to become the dominant male. The dominant male rabbit then mates with most of the females in the area. In opposite, hares live most of the time by themselves. They come together in pairs for mating only. There is almost no fighting among hares - they just pair off.
l    Rabbits prefer soft stems, grass or vegetables; hares eat more hard food: bark and rind, buds, small twigs and shoots.

Similarities

l    Both rabbits and hares breed prolifically, bearing four to eight litters each year.
l    A litter of rabbits generally has three to eight young. The gestation period is  about a month, and are sexually mature in about six months, and live in the wild for about six years.
l     Although rabbits and hares are valued as game by hunters, both for their food and fur, they are also pests to farmers and gardeners. They can destroy crops and trees.

Trivia

l    A male rabbit is called a buck, a female
- a doe, babies - kittens.
l    Rabbit’s eyes remain black when reflecting a bright light. In comparison human eyes appear red, cats and dogs - green, and deer eyes turn orange.

Source: http://www.diffen.com/difference/Hare_vs_Rabbit

Published on LakbimaNews on 03.06.2012 

Grizzly Brown Bears

Last Sunday, the cover story of Mag, was about Sri Lanka Premier League T20 Cricket Tournament. Have you noticed that all the teams have names of animals -- Ruhunu Rhinos, Kandurata Kites, Uthura Oryxes, Uva Unicorns, Wayamba Wolves, Neganahira Nagas and Basnahira Bears. Interestingly, except for the wolves and the bears, the others have been been featured in Zoolander. This week Zoolander writes on the Bear the mascot and symbol of the Basbnahira Bears.
Brown bears of the Dehiwala Zoo are rather interesting animals to watch. Being large and furry, they should surely have a problem these days with the prevailing heat and the hot and humid weather pattern. Luckily for them there is a small water moat at the zoo, where they can take a dip and cool down. Usually after splashing in water they would lie lazing on the cement floor. But that is not for long; after a few minutes, they would be back to their restless routine moving from corner to corner within the den.
A pair of brown bears brought down as a part of an animal exchange program was earlier kept in a den near the auditorium of the zoological gardens, but of late, they have been moved to a new den. On your next visit to the Dehiwala zoo, you can meet brown bears near the ‘walking-aviary’. Many major zoos like to have at least one brown bear among their resident animals, as they are interesting animals to observe. They are rather big and look majestic but fierce. The sense of fear that is felt on encountering a brown bear heightens the thrill of the experience for many.
In the wild, bears are found in forests and mountains of North America, and in Europe, and Asia. There are many members in the bear family spread across different parts of the world and the brown bear is said to be the most widely distributed bear in the world. There are several recognized sub-species within the brown bear species. In North America, two types are generally recognized, the coastal brown bear and the inland grizzly bears. But there are other sub-species too and generally a well grown bear can weigh between 300 and 680 kilograms. The Grizzlies are notorious, as they have been responsible for human attacks. With their sheer power and strength, the brown bear is the top predator in these jungles.
Adult brown bears are indeed powerful, top-of-the-food chain predators, but they are lazy hunters and much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruits, leaves and roots. Bears also eat other animals, from rodents to moose, but the brown bear like other members of its family is categorized as an ‘omnivorous’ animal.

Feast of Salmon  
Brown bears, often called ‘Grizzlies’,  are also famous due to an annual spectacle, in Alaska. TV documentaries such as those featured on the Discovery channel feature these dramatic  gatherings at prime Alaskan fishing spots, when the salmon swim upstream for summer spawning. The Salmons make this upstream journey to breed and the brown bears gather around these rivers waiting for an easy meal. Sometimes the jumping salmon dives straight into the gaping mouth of brown bears waiting in strategic locations.
Bears use different fishing techniques, as observed by zoologists who say there are three steps. They first get familiar with the place and movement of the fish and then approach; the skilful capturing comes next, either by picking direct with the mouth or by using the paws. Sometimes dozens of brown bears line-up in a stretch of river. This spectacle has been described among the 10 most spectacular wildlife experiences in the world by LonelyPlanet - the travel magazine.
This feast of fish is also very important for the survival of brown bears during winter. The salmon they feed on, stores as fat and converts to energy that will sustain them through the long winter. It is said that during a season, a brown bear may eat as much as 40 kilograms of food each day, and will weigh twice as much, before hibernation, as it will in spring.

Hibernation
The regions where brown bears are found usually record very harsh winters and  these animals have to resort to different mechanisms to face the freezing cold, and the brown bears choose to hibernate. During hibernation, the breathing and heart rates slow and they allow their body temperatures to drop, in some cases even below freezing. They stop eating and in many cases stop excreting too. All of these things happen, so the animals can use less energy – and bears in these regions often employ hibernation as the main strategy to face harsh winters.
Researchers have found that the brown bears use particularly dig dens for winter hibernation, often holing up in a suitable hillside. Brown bears have a large hump of muscle on top of their shoulders and long front claws which makes them powerful diggers.
A pregnant female bear or a sow, gives birth during the winter rest and usually delivers a pair of cubs and the cubs nurse on their mothers’ milk until spring – and stay with her for some two and a half years. Because of this protective nurturing, the females only reproduce once every three years, recording a slow breeding rate for brown bears. The bears spend four to six months a year curled deep in sleep in a den. That’s one-third to one-half of their lifetime.
In the wild, brown bears live alone as solitary animals. But the females, like all good mothers, stay with their cubs protecting them from danger. Despite their enormous size, brown bears are fast runners, and have even clocked  speeds of 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour). They can be dangerous to humans, particularly if taken by surprise or if a person gets between a mother bear and her cubs.

Brown Bear Facts

l The tips of the hair on a brown bear look grayish or grizzly.
l Brown bears prefer forested mountains, meadows, or river valleys.
l Brown bears are around seven feet tall.
l Male bears may weigh up to 700 pounds.
l Female bears may weigh up to 350 pounds.
l Brown bears eat mostly grass, roots, and berries. They also eat fish, insects, and ground
squirrels, or larger mammals if they can catch them.
l Bears are commonly silent, but can communicate with grunts, roars, or squeals.
l Hibernation is a way of adapting to short food supplies in winter.
l During the fall, brown bears eat practically around the clock, stocking up for the
next four to seven months. They can eat around 90 pounds of food per day.
l Bears dig their own den or sometimes hibernate in natural caves.
l One to five cubs are born during hibernation. The mother bears nurse the cubs
during winter. The cubs live off the mother’s milk for the first year of life.
l Nearly 50 percent of all brown bear cubs die before they are one year old.

Source: http://www.kodiak.org/hibernation.html / http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/


Published on LakbimaNews 27.05.2012