Stressed-out penguins on the mend

Penguins which had to be given anti-depressants after a break-in left them stressed have made a full recovery.

A trespasser broke into their enclosure at Scarborough's Sea Life Centre one year ago and chased the birds.

Staff at the centre said the birds had been left "frightened" and needed medication, reports the BBC.

The birds have now recovered and two couples have even produced eggs which are due to hatch later this year, curators said.

Lyndsey Crawford, displays curator, said: "Penguins only lay eggs when they feel happy enough to do so.

"This is a really good sign particularly as this is the first time for each couple."

Penguins are particularly vulnerable to any change of routine which was why the incident last year had proved so upsetting for them, she explained.

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Stressed-out_penguins_on_the_mend

Hard to swallow? Greedy bird gets to grips with gigantic fish lunch

The anhinga water bird, usually found in warmer parts of America, looked pleased as punch after catching himself an enormous snack at Everglades National Park, a renowned wildlife world heritage sight

An anhinga gobbles up a gold and green fish for his lunch (Picture: Caters)

However the greedy bird, which lives primarily off a diet of fish, struggled as it attempted to wolf down its meal. 

Its catch may have been almost double the size of his head, but that didn't stop the eager anhinga, also known as the Snakebird.

The scene was captured by amazed wildlife snapper Javier Parrilla Perez, who explained: 'Throughout the morning, my wife and I were photographing wildlife in the Everglades, an amazing place for bird photography.

'At one point we were shooting an alligator in the canal when we saw this incredible anhinga with fish in its mouth.

'We couldn't believe it because the bird was only a few metres away from us. Camera in hand we set out to shoot without stopping, we knew it was an incredible moment and we didn't want to miss it.'

With its small head and extra-long neck, it took the anhinga a while to digest its meal fully, but got there in the end. 

Mr Perez added: 'The bird seemed to expend so much effort wallowing the fish. At one point we thought he was going to choke.

'But after a few minutes of wrestling he finally swallowed it. It was an unforgettable moment of intense emotion.'

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/897241-hard-to-swallow-greedy-bird-gets-to-grips-with-gigantic-fish-lunch

Corky, Kitten Born With Criss-Crossed Legs, Saved By Breakthrough Leg Surgery

After a months-long Facebook campaign that resulted in an outpouring of donations from animal lovers all over the world, staff members at CATS Cradle Shelter Rescue and Adoption in Fargo, North Dakota were able to arrange a life-saving surgery for Corky, a rescue kitten born with leg deformities.

During the 5-hour surgery performed on Thursday, April 5, Dr. Dan Burchill at Casselton Veterinary Services in North Dakota, worked to correct a rare congenital condition called "Bilateral Arthrogryposis of the Tarsus," which causes the legs to develop backwards and criss-crossed.

"Dr. Burchill is our hero. He basically invented this surgery for Corky," Cat's Cradle co-founder Gail Ventzke told the UK Daily Sun. "He's fallen for Corky, too. He comes in on his days off to personally change Corky’s bandages because he doesn't want anyone else to touch him."

Ventzke told The Huffington Post that she and fellow CATS Cradle Co-Founders Amber Schaffer and Carol Stefonek discovered Corky last year while visiting an animal pound in Moorhead, Minnesota. The three were picking up two other cats at the pound when employees asked if they were interesting in taking at a look at a third cat that they "just had to see for themselves."

Continued:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/24/corky-kitten-north-dakota-cat-surgery-rescue-saved_n_1449628.html

Magnetic fields light up 'GPS neurons', scientists say

By Jason PalmerScience and technology reporter, BBC News
Researchers have spotted a group of 53 cells within pigeons' brains that respond to the direction and strength of the Earth's magnetic field.

The question of how birds navigate using - among other signals - magnetic fields is the subject of much debate.

These new "GPS neurons" seem to show how magnetic information is represented in birds' brains.

However, the study reported by Science leaves open the question of how they actually sense the magnetic field.

David Dickman of the Baylor College of Medicine in the US set up an experiment in which pigeons were held in place, while the magnetic field around them was varied in its strength and direction.

Prof Dickman and his colleague Le-Qing Wu believed that the 53 neurons were candidates for sensors, so they measured the electrical signals from each one as the field was changed.
Read on:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17855194

Rare bees on their way to Dungeness from Sweden

A second international effort to reintroduce the rare short-haired bumblebee to Kent is underway after the first one ended in disaster.

The first time round, scientists bred several queen bees in New Zealand in the hope of shipping them back to Dungeness. But they all sadly died.

Now a second operation to bring specially bred female bees in to the UK is underway – this time a little closer to home, from Sweden.

The species was last recorded at Dungeness in 1988, but the experts are confident this latest attempt at bringing them back will go well without any sting in the tail.

The team of scientists have already set off for Sweden on their mission to collect around 50 short-haired bumblebee queens.

They became extinct in the UK after suffering declines following a loss of wildflower rich habitat.

But they are doing well in Sweden and conservationists are now ready to begin the delicate work of transferring a small number of the queen bees to Kent.

The queens are being collected from the province of Skane, on the southern tip of Sweden, using bee nets before being transferred into glass vials and placed in refrigeration to induce a temporary hibernation.

After a boat trip to Britain they will go in to quarantine at Royal Holloway University of London to ensure they are free from diseases or parasites that could affect native wildlife. Assuming all is well they are expected to be released within weeks.

Project manager Dr Nikki Gammans said: “It’s a delicate operation, which we’ve been meticulously planning with our colleagues in Sweden for over a year. The queen bees will be emerging after the winter in hibernation and will be well fed before beginning the journey home. We’ve been collecting pollen from the sites in Kent to feed them while they are in quarantine and they will be released at the end of May.”

All the time this is going on, final preparations are underway at the RSPB’s Dungeness reserve and farmland across Romney Marsh to create the ideal conditions for the bees to flourish.

Over the past three years Natural England and the RSPB worked with Dungeness farmers to prepare flowering field margins to give the Swedish bees the best possible start and encourage other wildlife across the peninsula.

More than 650 hectares of new suitable habitat has been created.

RSPB Dungeness warden Natalie Holt said: “We’ve lost 97 per cent of our wildflower meadows in the past 60 years and this has had a devastating impact on our precious native bumblebees.

“We’ve done a lot of work to prepare for this day by establishing good wild flower habitat, rich in pollen and nectar which will provide a healthy, vibrant habitat for a whole range of insects, wild plants, birds and other animals as well as the short-haired bumblebee.

“We’ve already seen a number of rare bee species spreading locally including the shrill carder bee which has returned to RSPB Dungeness nature reserve after a 25 year absence. This shows how successful conservation work really makes a difference in bringing life back to back to our countryside.”

The previous elaborate project failed when the entire stock died in New Zealand during hibernation. The RSPB said at the time: “A small number were due to be released on the June 11, 2010, but sadly they did not survive hibernation in New Zealand.”

http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/rare_bees_on_their_way_to_dungeness_from_sweden_1_1359043