Fish and Amphibians

A new study takes a look at the increasing problem of frogs, rodents, snakes, lizards, birds, and even a bat ending up in people's bagged produce. A few years ago I wrote about all of the reasons that packaged greens are a horrible idea . Number 4 was the possibility of "free prizes" included inside. "The good news for one California woman is that she can be assured her choice of bagged salad was organic and uncut," I wrote, "as confirmed by the live frog she found in her package of greens. After recovering from the startle, she kept the frog and named it Dave." You'd think stories like these are rare, right? Well it would be hard to know, since there is currently no public system to archive these incidents, write the authors of a new study taking a look at wild animals found in prepackaged produce in the United States. Without a database recording such incidents, the scientists did what anyone else would do: They started doing online searches....

Texas master naturalists Kathy McCormack and Sue Anderson gathered with a small group of naturalists earlier this month in the Parmer Villas apartment parking lot in Northeast Austin to go hunting. Inconspicuously tucked away behind the maze of asphalt and condominiums are a series of small dams that form a creek that shelters their prey. The sun hadn’t yet dipped below the horizon as the group hefted several nets and a collection bucket down a short path to Lake Creek. The black silhouettes of swallows and chimney swifts rose and fell along the skyline of ochre and coral-colored clouds as the birds hunted for their last few insects before settling down to roost. “There’s going to be a changing of the guard as the sun sets and it gets dark,” McCormack said. The bats were about to come out and take their place in the sky above the creek. But they wouldn't be alone. “We have seen a great-horned owl fly over the creek catching the bats,” she said. “Nature in all its gory glory!” Bu...

A wet spring has caused one frog population to explode in an area of Vermont where throngs of the amphibians have been hopping through fields and lawns, darting across roads and getting flattened by cars and tractors. University of Vermont herpetology lecturer James Andrews estimates that the population of the northern leopard frog has leaped a hundredfold in a region near the Otter Creek in Addison County. "People who have been here you know 30 years or more say they have never seen this many frogs," said Andrews, who is also coordinator of The Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas and lives in the town of Salisbury, where a mass of frogs has emerged. "And it's a result, I think, of not only the perfect storm of conditions this year but also as a result of climate change, the amount of extra moisture that we're getting in this area in general." Rainfall — or a lack of it — can have big impacts on amphibian populations, said John Kanter, a senior wildlife b...

A wet spring has caused one frog population to explode in an area of Vermont where throngs of the amphibians have been hopping through fields and lawns, darting across roads and getting flattened by cars and tractors. University of Vermont herpetology lecturer James Andrews estimates that the population of the northern leopard frog has leaped a hundredfold in a region near the Otter Creek in Addison County. "People who have been here you know 30 years or more say they have never seen this many frogs," said Andrews, who is also coordinator of The Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas and lives in the town of Salisbury, where a mass of frogs has emerged. "And it's a result, I think, of not only the perfect storm of conditions this year but also as a result of climate change, the amount of extra moisture that we're getting in this area in general." Rainfall — or a lack of it — can have big impacts on amphibian populations, said John Kanter, a senior wildlife ...

A spotted salamander, deceased, by the driveway in Troy. Photo courtesy of Dana Wilde Earlier this summer there was a dead dinosaur in the driveway. Anyway, that’s what it looked like. It was actually a spotted salamander, about 7 inches long from tail tip to snout, lying alongside the gravel track. Presumably one of us had hit it accidentally with a car. An unusual sight, because salamanders are seen out of their natural habitat only rarely, and then mostly during mating season, around April. They hibernate in ground burrows, inside stumps or under leaf litter, and then when it’s warming up, migrate to vernal pools or slow streams in the woods to mate. They hunt food such as worms, spiders and bugs at night, and stay out of sight during the day under stones or in pre-made burrows and other earth crevices. In Maine we have nine species of salamanders, according to “ Maine Amphibians and Reptiles ,” including mudpuppies, a completely aquatic species that was accidentally introdu...

Most frogs lay oodles of eggs and quickly hop away. But some poison dart frogs baby their offspring, cleaning and hydrating eggs laid on land and piggybacking hatched tadpoles to water. A peek inside the brains of these nurturing amphibians reveals that in males and females, two regions linked with caring for young are the same — a finding that may provide clues to the neural underpinnings of parental behavior, researchers report online July 17 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B . From humans to crocodiles, many creatures tend to their young. “But we actually understand very little about how the brain makes parental behaviors,” says Eva Fischer, a neuroethologist at Stanford University. To study how such care is wired into the amphibian brain, Fischer and her colleagues looked at neural activity in three poison dart frog species with different parenting strategies: Dendrobates tinctorius , among whom the males take care of the young; Oophaga sylvatica , whose females do the par...

Montana State Parks (stateparks.mt.gov) will host All About Amphibians at Brush Lake State Park on Friday, July 26, at 7 p.m. Slimy, sticky, stinky, bumpy – the words used to describe amphibians are not always the most charitable. Humans have a complex relationship with Lissamphibia, or the group of animals that includes frogs, toads, and salamanders. Some people see them as gross or frightening, while others seek them out to catch and keep as pets, but there is much more to amphibians than meets the eye. Join Ranger Shipps in this fun discussion of what makes these critters so important to our prairie home, and learn how to identify some of our amphibian neighbors. For more information call the park office at (406) 483-5455. What: All About Amphibians When: Friday, July 26, at 7 p.m. Where: Brush Lake State Park, 1733 Brush Lake Rd., Dagmar, MT https://ift.tt/2K34inp

As animal lovers we have our preferences for the types of animals we choose. Some of us are attracted to the more conventional pets like cats, dogs, pocket pets, etc., while other people may prefer something more exotic like reptiles and amphibians. These animals can be quite challenging to maintain and live with. Therefore, potential owners need to be aware of what these animals need to thrive when living with humans. https://ift.tt/30NoIrf

[unable to retrieve full-text content] U of A Biologists Track Ancient Tallgrass Praire Reptiles, Amphibians    kuaf.com On remnant lush native tallgrass prairies in Arkansas, a team of University of Arkansas Willson Lab biologists over the past two summers have discovered. https://ift.tt/2XTty9s

Adult California tiger salamanders spend about a quarter of their lives underground. It’s an important tidbit of information that allowed Manteca’s public works staff to devise a plan that will save the city in excess of $1 million to capture and relocate the amphibian that has been listed as federally threatened  California tiger salamanders as well as the near threatened western spadefoot toad were found on land Manteca obtained to build the $30.7 million McKinley Avenue interchange on the 120 Bypass that is scheduled to go out to bid in 2020. Because of the protected status of the salamander, Manteca was facing a fee of at least $400,000 to be able to develop the interchange and an additional charge of $1 million for obtaining suitable relocation grounds. Deputy Public Works Director Koosun Kim  in working with state and San Joaquin Council of Government officials to devise a strategy to relocate the two species found in the area of the interchange and relocate them to...

For decades, Colorado’s only toad dwelling in high mountain wetlands has been one of a number of amphibians to experience dramatic population declines due to a skin fungus. The Boreal toad, once common between 7,000 and 12,000 feet in the southern Rockies, is now listed as an endangered species in Colorado and Wyoming. Aside from factors like habitat loss, CPW said, the declines in Boreal toad populations may be related to a deadly disease that comes from an infection by a fungus called Batrachochytrium dendobatidis , or Bd. Last Week, biologists with Colorado Parks and Wildlife – and about 40 volunteers – teamed up with PhD students from the University of Colorado’s school of Ecology and Evolutionarry Biology to test a new method that may improve the toads’ chances of making it through metamorphosis from tadpole to mature toad without contracting Bd. CPW volunteers, as well as volunteers from Pike National Forest, the Bureau of Land Management and the Denver Zoo, packed in about ...

Panther Salamander, an amphibian that lives in North America was found in an apartment in Tel Aviv. (photo credit: YANIV COHEN/NATURE AND PARKS AUTHORITY) X Dear Reader, As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before. Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications, like ours, are being forced to look for new ways to keep going. Unlike many other news organizations, we have not put up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open and accessible and be able to keep providing you with news and analysis from the frontlines of Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World. As one of our loyal readers, we ask you to be our partner. For $5 a month you will receive access to the following: A user experience almost completely free of ads Access to our Premium Section Content from the award-winning Jerusalem Report and our monthly magazine to learn Hebrew - Ivrit A brand new ePaper featuring t...

An Asian toad discovered near Port Taranaki poses a miminal threat, Biosecurity New Zealand says. Photo: 123RF A member of the public discovered the dead toad in March and the port's owner, the Taranaki Regional Council, notified the agency. Biosecurity New Zealand said exotic amphibians could bring with them parasites or pathogens, but the Asian toad was a subtropical or tropical species unlikely to establish itself in this country. Since 2000 there have been nearly 45 interceptions of Asian toads, mostly at the border - sometimes in luggage carried by travellers returning from Asia. https://ift.tt/32w7Rek

We all share our landscapes with creatures of some sort. I don’t mean your family members. Some of my favorite creatures are frogs. I remember when we first moved onto our property, I would hear a deep ‘glup, glup, glup’ at night and could not figure out what it was. To be honest, it sounded so otherworldly, it gave me the creeps. It wasn’t until much later when I discovered it was frogs calling that I felt pretty silly. But you know how it is when you’re in an unfamiliar place — it’s as dark as coal and there are creepy sounds coming at you from who-knows-where. You know what I mean, right? OF TWO WORLDS Frogs are amphibians, as are newts, salamanders, and toads. Unlike most animals, amphibians finish their final development after they are born, changing from water-based (tadpoles) to land-based life. The word "amphibian" is Greek for "both kinds of life”. Most amphibians hatch from eggs laid in water and for a short time live there, complete with external gills...

About the Book: In Of Reptiles and Amphibians, Todd Michael Cox (Beast, Dizzlemuck) follows a young Wisconsin man as he moves through a life of loss and discovery, depression and hope. From a broken family, to a brother haunted by mental illness, through relationships failed and fulfilling, we journey with him through several moments across the span of his life… and, always, guiding him, there are the animals he loves, the snakes and turtles and frogs and salamanders that, like him, call the Dairy State home… and which he looks to for comfort when life grows dark, seeking in them a sense of both belonging and solitude, understanding and mystery.    Quiet, thoughtful, subtle, this is a “study in microtones,” as the author puts it in his introduction. It’s also a poem of heartbreak and transcendence, and an ode to finding once again that which has been lost. About the Author: Todd Michael Cox was born and raised in northern Wisconsin and still makes his home in the...

Mosquito season is going to be bad this year and one of the ways the city of Albuquerque is tackling the problem is by giving out a fish for people to put in birdbaths, ponds and ditches. But the fish can pose a risk to aquatic ecosystems. The fish is called the Mosquitofish. They are small and grey, and shaped like guppies. And as the name implies, they feed on mosquito larvae. The mosquitofish is one of the world’s top 50 worst invaders, according to the Global Invasive Species Database .   “We try to be very careful about making sure that we are not putting these mosquitofish anywhere where they are going to get reintroduced back into the Rio Grande,” said Mark Dimenna, Deputy Director of the Albuquerque Environmental Health Department . He said they are not so worried about the mosquitofish harming native fish in the Albuquerque area.  Mosquitofish reproduce quickly, they are competitive and aggressive , and they feed on the eggs of other fish and amphibians. Acc...

Run out of ideas for where to take the kids this weekend? Punchline-Gloucester.com as found plenty of activities and events to keep them entertained up and down the county. Tewkesbury Medieval Festival is fun-packed, friendly, and free to people on foot. What more could you ask of a festival? And a lot more is what you get - where else will you have three fantastic Living History encampments where you are free to look around and ask questions, a Battle re-enactment that fields 1500 re-enactors, and cannon to add noise and smoke as well as shiny armour and pointy things? Where else will you find splendid entertainers, good bands, quiet areas and noisy areas, wandering bears and dragons? For the kids there are historic fairground rides while a huge market will be selling everything from Medieval shoes and armour to take-home goodies for you to remember the day. In addition, there are great caterers, lovely ice cream, a falconer and a beer tent. Slimbridge Wetland Centre will be o...

Keep a close eye on your tomato plants Dan in Sterling writes: “What’s the best way to rid my garden of tomato hornworms?” That’s a timely question, Dan, as this is the time of year to be watching out for these tomato eating fiends! You’d think it would be easy to spot the largest caterpillar in North America, but the tomato hornworm (and the closely related tobacco hornworm) are EXACTLY the same color as your tomato plants and blend in so well that you can be looking right at them and still not see them. Instead, you should look for the damage they cause: large portions of your plants will be eaten away — generally at the top of the plants — if the hornworms are present. If it looks like a deer was browsing on your Brandywines, look just below the damaged areas for the culprits — but don’t squish them just yet! Don’t squish a spiny hornworm! The best way to get rid of tomato hornworms is to eyeball your plants daily. If parts of the tops are missing, run your hand just below th...

BANGOR — The Bangor Land Trust will hold a walking talk 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturday, July 13, called “Flowers, Insects, Amphibians” at Walden- Parke Preserve. We’ll discuss journals, sketching, and citizen science data as a way to record the changes and when, if, and how to start a collection. There’ll be time for journals and sharing of favorite discoveries at the end of each walk. Meet at the Tamarack Trail kiosk. https://ift.tt/2NPgai2

BUENA VISTA, Colo. (CBS4) – Efforts are underway in Colorado’s High Country to bring back the native Boreal toads. Teamwork between Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the McKenzie Lab at the University of Colorado-Boulder are making this all possible. (credit: CBS)   Researchers are bathing the endangered toads in the treatment, dubbed “Purple Rain” due to its color, to protect them from the skin fungus that is killing amphibians. Lab tests prove promising, but this is the first in the field experiment CPW’s Paul Foutz, native aquatic species biologist based in the Southeast Region in Colorado Springs, led a team of biologists who made trips up the South Cottonwood Creek west of Buena Vista to assist PhD student Tim Korpita, and Dr. Valerie McKenzie and their research team from CU-Boulder in treating the toads. (credit: CBS) “We are proud to be partners in this wildlife conservation fieldwork,” Foutz said. “It’s critical we find a cure to this deadly skin fungus that i...

Where: Slimbridge Wetland Centre, Gloucestershire When: From Saturday, July 13 Slimbridge Wetland Centre will be opening their new Arctic Tundra experience this summer, on Saturday (July 13) with special guests Cbeebies Ferne Corrigan and Rory Crawford from Ferne and Rory's Vet Tales . Visitors can pick up their passport from base camp and start their first wetland challenge, collecting stamps as they make their way around the world to take up different Wetland challenges. At the brand new Arctic Adventure exhibit there will be the opportunity to meet a real-life WWT researcher and take up one of the challenges including What Do Birds Eat? Experts will be on hand to help and visitors will be able to look through a microscope to discover why bird poo analysis helps researchers study the different bird species. The new exhibit is an exciting chance for visitors to see what it would be like to live in the Arctic Russian Tundra, a wetland habitat where WWT researchers live when ...

Next time you head outside, I have a challenge for you: Go and find a toad. There are few places that you should be sure to check out and the all having something in common: they are close to the water. The best places to look are next to rivers and lakes. When you’ve found one, how do you know if you have a frog or a toad? The best way to tell is to look at their legs. Typically toads will have short legs that they sit on whereas frogs have longer legs that reach out wide from their body. We do ask that if you are lucky enough to find a frog or a toad that you do not interfere with them. Nature knows best. If you care, leave it there. Frog Activities Frog hopping - Set up some hula hoops outside and try to jump from hoop to hoop. Leave them touching or spread them farther apart. See who can get through the line the fastest! If you have a group, you can do a frog variation on the Rock, Paper, Scissors relay. To play, you lay several hula hoops in a line. Divide into...

July 10, 2019 Photo Submitted A slender glass lizard, resident of Northwest Arkansas' tallgrass prairies. The newest edition of Field Notes, an annual look at the work that University of Arkansas researchers are doing around the state and the world during the summer, follows biologists as they scour what remains of Northwest Arkansas' once-vast tallgrass prairies in search of the repitles and amphibians that live there. For the full story, go to the Field Notes section of Research Frontiers, the home of research news at the University of Arkansas. https://ift.tt/2XWVCIe

Aquatic organisms in marine and freshwater systems are threatened by fungal and fungal-like diseases globally, and these pathogens are especially dreaded in aquaculture, F orschungsverbund Berlin (FVB) said in an announcement . However, these diseases also pose a threat to amphibian biodiversity. There are few approved chemical means for combating these pathogens, FVB said, and many have unwanted side effects. Now, scientists at the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology & Inland Fisheries (IGB) — a component institution of FVB — are proposing alternative biological concepts to control fungal disease in a more environmentally friendly way. Some fungal and fungal-like diseases produce small infectious stages known as zoospores that swim in water to look for new hosts. They can infest fish and amphibians but also algae and seaweeds that are produced for human consumption. "The damage caused by these diseases is considerable. Few chemicals are approved for prophylaxis bu...

Shane Romain stands just off the trail at Verbena Fields, a 20-acre former gravel quarry that’s now a dedicated wetland, riparian habitat and Mechoopda Maidu interpretive garden. Advertisement When Shane Romain first moved to Chico more than 20 years ago, he hopped on his bike and explored. That’s how he discovered Comanche Creek Greenway and Teichert Ponds. At the time, the two natural spaces weren’t in such good shape, he told the CN&R: Portions of Comanche Creek, in south Chico at the intersection of Park and East Park avenues, looked like a fenced-off shanty town, and Teichert Ponds—bordering Bikeway 99 off Humboldt Road—resembled a toxic waste dump. A lot’s changed since then. For one, the city now owns those properties. And due to significant volunteer work and grant assistance, the spaces have been developed and cleaned up considerably, with dedicated, tree-lined pathways, informational kiosks and natural habitat teeming with wildlife. After 12 years workin...

Sometimes a “win” is the fight you don’t have to have. Instead of victories proclaimed from the steps of the courthouse, some wins are the quiet kind which involve not having to go back to court at all. Western Watersheds Project and our allies recently had such a win, in a case over  Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frogs , the northern population of mountain yellow-legged frogs, and Yosemite toads , all highly imperiled species found in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. These amphibian species are threatened by profound habitat losses, livestock grazing, pesticides, and climate change. They were all protected under the Endangered Species Act in 2014 and had critical habitat designated in 2016. The critical habitat designation encompassed approximately 1.8 million acres of critical habitat across sixteen California counties. The overwhelming majority of the critical habitat is on federal public lands. Shortly after critical habitat was designated, The P...