THE WAR ON MOTHER NATURE: Africa's Western Black Rhino Has Been Officially Declared Extinct - Africa's Northern White Rhino And Asia's Javan Rhino Are "Teetering On The Brink Of Extinction!

<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: yellow;">November 08, 2013 - AFRICA </span></b>- Africa's western black rhino is now officially extinct according the latest review of animals and plants by the world's largest conservation network. <br /><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph2"><br />The subspecies of the black rhino -- which is classified as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/" target="_blank">Red List of Threatened Species</a> -- was last seen in western Africa in 2006.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--p4UxGpKiJs/UnzTvPZW61I/AAAAAAABNa0/7hkxw09Yvus/s1600/blackrhino01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--p4UxGpKiJs/UnzTvPZW61I/AAAAAAABNa0/7hkxw09Yvus/s1600/blackrhino01.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poaching and lack of conservation have made a subspecies of Africa's black rhino (pictured) extinct. </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph3"><br />The IUCN warns that other rhinos could follow saying Africa's northern white rhino is "teetering on the brink of extinction" while Asia's Javan rhino is "making its last stand" due to continued poaching and lack of conservation.</div><br />"In the case of the western black rhino and the northern white rhino the situation could have had very different results if the suggested conservation measures had been implemented," Simon Stuart, chair of the IUCN species survival commission said in a statement.<br /><br /><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph6">"These measures must be strengthened now, specifically managing habitats in order to improve performance, preventing other rhinos from fading into extinction," Stuart added.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph7"><br />The <a href="http://www.iucn.org/" target="_blank">IUCN</a> points to conservation efforts which have paid off for the southern white rhino subspecies which have seen populations rise from less than 100 at the end of the 19th century to an estimated wild population of 20,000 today.<br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2xX3a2TZAqE/UnzT_8CQOQI/AAAAAAABNbE/xZEd9INw4C0/s1600/blackrhino02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2xX3a2TZAqE/UnzT_8CQOQI/AAAAAAABNbE/xZEd9INw4C0/s1600/blackrhino02.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Africa's northern white rhino is "teetering on the brink of extinction" according to the lastest IUCN Red List</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Another success can be seen with the <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/7961/0" target="_blank">Przewalski's Horse</a> which was listed as "extinct in the wild" in 1996 but now, thanks to a captive breeding program, has an estimated population of 300.<br /><br /><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph10">The latest update to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species reviews more than 60,000 species, concluding that 25% of mammals on the list are at risk of extinction.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph11"><br />Many plants are also under threat, say the IUCN.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph12"><br />Populations of Chinese fir, a conifer which was once widespread throughout China and Vietnam, is being threatened by the expansion of intensive agriculture according to the IUCN.<br /><br /></div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph13"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A9UE7_a2n60/UnzUHvZ0UaI/AAAAAAABNbM/0V80cZC3XaU/s1600/blackrhino03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A9UE7_a2n60/UnzUHvZ0UaI/AAAAAAABNbM/0V80cZC3XaU/s1600/blackrhino03.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In 1996 the Przewalski's Horse was listed as "extinct in the wild." But thanks to a captive breeding <br />program its population has risen to around 300, say the IUCN.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C2Pcztqqky8/UnzUH-Ur40I/AAAAAAABNbQ/Qc30hzymSGY/s1600/blackrhino04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C2Pcztqqky8/UnzUH-Ur40I/AAAAAAABNbQ/Qc30hzymSGY/s1600/blackrhino04.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Coco de Mer has been "uplisted" from vulnerable to endangered due to increased fires<br /> and illegal havesting f its kernels.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WxAV2fY8TKc/UnzUH58E09I/AAAAAAABNbY/yvU0R_C0M30/s1600/blackrhino05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WxAV2fY8TKc/UnzUH58E09I/AAAAAAABNbY/yvU0R_C0M30/s1600/blackrhino05.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The summers' poison frog is a recently discovered amphibian which is classified as endangered. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UOlk5uI_o_U/UnzUIb_LoPI/AAAAAAABNbg/v1TTdliQOPg/s1600/blackrhino06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UOlk5uI_o_U/UnzUIb_LoPI/AAAAAAABNbg/v1TTdliQOPg/s1600/blackrhino06.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blessed poison frog is currently listed as vulnerable, say the IUCN.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />A type of yew tree (<a href="http://data.gbif.org/welcome.htm" target="_blank">taxus contorta</a>) found in Asia which is used to produce Taxol (a chemotherapy drug) has been reclassified from "vulnerable" to "endangered" on the IUCN Red List, as has the <a href="http://www.bgci.org/ourwork/coco_de_mer/" target="_blank">Coco de Mer</a> -- a palm tree found in the Seychelles islands -- which is at risk from fires and illegal harvesting of its kernels.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph14"><br />Recent studies of 79 tropical plants in the Indian Ocean archipelago revealed that more than three quarters of them were at risk of extinction.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph15"><br />In the oceans, the IUCN reports that five out of eight tuna species are now "threatened" or "near threatened," while 26 recently-discovered amphibians have been added to the Red List including the "blessed poison frog" (classified as vulnerable) while the "summers' poison frog" is endangered.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph16"><br />"This update offers both good and bad news on the status of many species around the world," Jane Smart, director of IUCN's global species program said in a statement.</div><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph17"><br />"We have the knowledge that conservation works if executed in a timely manner, yet, without strong political will in combination with targeted efforts and resources, the wonders of nature and the services it provides can be lost forever." - <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/10/world/africa/rhino-extinct-species-report/index.html?sr=sharebar_facebook"><span style="color: orange;"><b>CNN</b></span></a>.</div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>

Africa Asia Endangered Species Extinction IUCN Javan Rhino Mother Nature Natural Habitats Nature Poaching Przewalski's Horse Threatened Species Western Black Rhino White Rhino Wildlife THE WAR ON MOTHER NATURE: Africa's Western Black Rhino Has Been Officially Declared Extinct - Africa's Northern White Rhino And Asia's Javan Rhino Are "Teetering On The Brink Of Extinction!

November 08, 2013 - AFRICA - Africa's western black rhino is now officially extinct according the latest review of animals and plants b...

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PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Mysterious Disease - Six Hammerhead Sharks Suddenly Die In Ocean Park, Hong Kong, China?!

<div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="color: yellow;">November 05, 2013 - CHINA </span></b>- Six hammerhead sharks at Ocean Park died one by one in just seven hours yesterday because of a disease the park has not identified.<br /><br /><br /><div class="panel-pane pane-entity-field pane-node-body pos-1"><div class="pane-content"><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden clearfix"><div class="field-items"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8m6H6RbCevI/UnlJZeCDvzI/AAAAAAABNFI/4U8EKMpGMFE/s1600/chinasharks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8m6H6RbCevI/UnlJZeCDvzI/AAAAAAABNFI/4U8EKMpGMFE/s1600/chinasharks.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hammerhead shark is classified as endangered by conservationists. Photo: SCMP</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="field-item even first last"><br />The remaining eight sharks "were also at risk", the park said, and its staff would continue to closely monitor them, segregating them and administering treatment if the need arose. <br /><br />The dead sharks were first found "swimming abnormally" in the Grand Aquarium in the morning yesterday. They had shown no signs of illness before then, a spokeswoman said. Staff then moved them to a different area for treatment and observation, but from about 11am the sharks - all females weighing 45kg to 60kg - died one by one, until the last one perished at about 6pm. <br /><br />The park's chief veterinarian Paolo Martelli said the park was experiencing high morbidity - the rate of incidence of a disease - with rapid mortality in the hammerhead shark population. <br /><br />"We are now performing necropsies to better understand the cause of death," Martelli said, in a statement from the park issued yesterday evening. <br /><br />The six dead sharks - all about five years old - were among the 15 hammerheads introduced from Japan in late 2010. <br /><br />The park said that one had died already due to its inability to adjust to a new environment when it was moved into the Grand Aquarium in January 2011 from the old aquarium. But the other 14 "had doubled their weight and grown healthy over the past three years". <br /><br />Ocean Park's spokeswoman said it had reported the death to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department immediately. A spokeswoman for the department said it would follow up with the park on the matter. <br /><br />Earlier this year Ocean Park was forced to deny that <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1249943/dolphins-too-stupid-suicide">dolphins kept there were trying to commit suicide</a> after a video emerged showing 14-year-old Indo-Pacific bottlenose Pinky slamming herself at the wall of a pool. <br /><br />According to Nimal Fernando, senior veterinarian at the park: "Dolphins can't really commit suicide. The mental ability to make a decision to kill yourself is beyond a dolphin's reasoning capability." <br /><br />Samuel Hung Ka-yiu, a marine conservationist, said the dead fish were scalloped hammerhead sharks, which were listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. <br /><br />"We'd warned the park not to introduce endangered species into its captive environment, no matter whether they are blue fin tuna or hammerhead sharks," Hung said. "I hope the park will learn a lesson from such a saddening loss." <br /><br />Hung believes that the eight remaining hammerhead sharks are "in great danger", since the others died so suddenly. In June 2008, a sturgeon died at the park soon after being bitten by a barracuda kept in the same tank. Another sturgeon died six months later because of an infection induced by the poorly maintained tank water. - <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1346962/ocean-park-mystified-sudden-death-six-hammerhead-sharks"><span style="color: orange;"><b>SCMP</b></span></a>.<br /><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>

China Danger Dolphins Endangered Species Hammerhead Sharkes Hong Kong Mysterious Disease Ocean Park Pestilences Plagues Suicide Swimming Abnormally Unidentified Disease Virus PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Mysterious Disease - Six Hammerhead Sharks Suddenly Die In Ocean Park, Hong Kong, China?!

November 05, 2013 - CHINA - Six hammerhead sharks at Ocean Park died one by one in just seven hours yesterday because of a disease the par...

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