World's most endangered alligator making a comeback, in Shanghai

Date:October 26, 2016
Source:Wildlife Conservation Society

WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) reports that eggs of critically endangered Chinese alligators discovered recently in a nest in a Shanghai wetland park have hatched and that baby alligators have been photographed and identified swimming in the area. The announcement signals a huge success for the species and for ongoing reintroduction efforts initiated by East China Normal University, Chongming Dongtan Wetland Park, and WCS with the help of U.S. zoos including WCS's Bronx Zoo, and the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park.

"This shows that even the most endangered wildlife can recover if given a chance," said Aili Kang, WCS Executive Director for Asia Programs. "Without the efforts of our partners and colleagues in China, we wouldn't have had this great outcome that demonstrates that people and predators can co-exist in one of the most densely populated regions of the world."

WCS scientists Steven G. Platt, Fenglian Li, and Maggie He originally discovered three nests, with more than 60 viable eggs laid over a period of about two weeks. Unfortunately, two of the nests were lost to flooding spawned by a typhoon in mid-September and the fate of the third nest's hatchlings was unclear. However, Mr. Wang Jiang Tao from Dongtan Wetland Park observed three baby alligators on September 25th and Mr. Yu Feng from East China Normal University photographed the animals on the 27th.


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China: Shark Tank Explodes At Shopping Centre

CCTV pictures capture the moment the aquarium burst in Shanghai, sending glass and fish flying into the crowd.

Sixteen people were hurt when a 33-ton aquarium containing sharks, other fish and turtles exploded at a shopping centre in the Chinese city of Shanghai.

CCTV pictures captured the moment the giant tank burst, sending glass and fish flying into the crowd.

A man who was taking pictures of the aquarium when it broke was swept away by water.

Shoppers, store assistants and security staff suffered cuts and bruises as they were hit by pieces of 15cm-thick acrylic glass.

Three lemon sharks and dozens of small fishes and turtles were killed, according to reports.

Police have begun an investigation after the tank burst without warning.

"I was just walking by and heard the explosion of this water tank. I heard a bang, then water flushed out," said an unnamed passer-by.

"A cosmetics counter collapsed. The shop assistant was pulled out by other people," said another unidentified witness.

A safety expert said: "According to experts' preliminary investigation, the main cause of the incident is that the material used to make the aquarium ruptured under low temperatures after long-time use."

The Orient shopping centre said it had no plans to rebuild the aquarium which had become a popular attraction since it was installed two years ago.

Continued:  http://news.sky.com/story/1030569/china-shark-tank-explodes-at-shopping-centre

Snake eaters warned as the 'year of' approaches – via Herp Digest

People’s Daily (Beijing, China) People’s Daily 10/30/12 

With the Year of the Snake just over three months away, local authorities in Shanghai are trying to head off an expected rise in demand for snake dishes by warning residents that eating or trading endangered wild animal, is against the law.

Restaurants in the city have started receiving special orders for snake from customers making reservations for their Chinese New Year Eve's banquet on February, reported the Shanghai-based Youth Daily. 

"Though the sale of snakes has not seen a sudden rise recently, many people eat snake in the fall as a tonic before winter," said the owner of a snake-raising farm in the city's Qingpu district, surnamed Gu. 

Gu told the Global Times he supplies King Cobra and Agkistrodon, a venomous pit viper, to restaurants. "He also supplies crocodile."

"Crocodiles and snakes are not considered wild animals if they are raised on farms," said Gu. 

Yan Jingjing, director of the Shanghai Wildlife Conservation Management Station under the municipal forestry and environmental administration, told the Global Times that trading snakes and other endangered animals without a license is strictly banned.

Yan added that some species of Agkistrodon are categorized as protected wild animals. "Eating and trading them is against the Wild Animal Protection Law and violators will face criminal charges." 

Yan said the city carries out regular crackdowns on illegal sales of wild animals. 

"Apart from the destruction of the natural ecology, the animals carry many parasites, which are a potential health hazard," Yan added.

Shanghai Considering One-Dog-Per-Family Policy

(Nov. 12) -- Thirty years after China imposed a one-child policy to limit population growth, authorities are turning their attention to overcrowding by man's best friend.


Authorities in Shanghai are considering a one-dog policy.

The law would allow one dog per family and require owners to register their pets at a cost of about $45 a year, Shanghai Daily reported. Residents would also be required to neuter or spay their dogs, and give puppies up for adoption by the time they're 3 months old. If passed, the measure would go into effect next year.

Supporters say it's necessary because of limited dog-walking space in the congested, densely populated city. Nearly 20 million people live in Shanghai, alongside nearly 1 million dogs. An average of at least 100,000 dog attacks are reported each year, and 2009 had nearly 140,000 cases of dog-inflicted wounds, spurring local authorities to propose the new law, China Daily reported.

Other Chinese cities, like Guangzhou and Chengdu, already have similar policies, according to China's Xinhua news agency.

But some pet lovers fear the new policy could lead to more strays and end up harming the animals.

"If you can't find any adopters and the shelters are full, where would the puppies go?" a dog owner named Huang asked China Daily.

"I think the government should improve public knowledge about how to raise a dog and how to prevent them from attacking people and littering, instead of forcing us to raise one dog only," another Shanghai resident, Wang, told the paper.

Dog ownership has skyrocketed among China's growing middle class, raising calls for more regulation by the government.

In September, Chinese authorities said they planned to renew the country's one-child policy, which allows only one son or daughter for most couples. About 400 million births have been prevented by the policy over the past 30 years, CNN reported.