Fish and Amphibians

October 24-31 is Bat Week , an annual, international celebration of the role bats play in the natural world. Bats are truly amazing creatures. There are more than 1,400 species of bats in the world, about 20 percent of all mammal species. About two-thirds of bats are insectivorous. They consume between 50 and 100 percent of their own weight every night. They protect our food crops and timber industry—worth more than $57 billion per year—and if it weren’t for bats, farmers would surely use more chemical pesticides than they do now. This slideshow requires JavaScript. Nationwide, the service bats provide by suppressing insect populations has been estimated worth something between $4 billion and $50 billion per year to American agriculture. CDFW Senior Environmental Scientist Scott Osborn notes, “Even the low end of that broad estimate, $4 billion, is an impressive amount. Bats are an important part of integrated pest management systems.” Some bat species pollinate many species of plan...

Hilary Turner works for the Idaho Fish and Game Department as a roadside carcass surveyor in the Upper Snake Region. She drives US-20 from Idaho Falls to the Montana border searching for carcasses and collecting data. “Why?” you may ask. Ecology is the study of interactions and relationships between organisms and their environments. Road ecology is an emerging science where scientists study the ecological effects of roads, which Turner does by collecting data on road kills. From two-tracks to interstates, most people use some kind of road in their daily lives. The United States alone contains 4.12 million miles of road (2.68 million paved miles) and the ecological effects (direct and indirect) of this transportation system are vast. The ecological effects of roads have been studied in Idaho since at least the late 1960s, when Fish and Game documented the effects of the completion and opening of Interstate 84 in southern Idaho on the migratory Sublett mule deer herd. The freeway op...

Hilary Turner works for the Idaho Fish and Game Department as a roadside carcass surveyor in the Upper Snake Region. She drives US-20 from Idaho Falls to the Montana border searching for carcasses and collecting data. “Why?” you may ask. Ecology is the study of interactions and relationships between organisms and their environments. Road ecology is an emerging science where scientists study the ecological effects of roads, which Turner does by collecting data on road kills. From two-tracks to interstates, most people use some kind of road in their daily lives. The United States alone contains 4.12 million miles of road (2.68 million paved miles) and the ecological effects (direct and indirect) of this transportation system are vast. The ecological effects of roads have been studied in Idaho since at least the late 1960s, when Fish and Game documented the effects of the completion and opening of Interstate 84 in southern Idaho on the migratory Sublett mule deer herd. The freeway op...

Hilary Turner works for the Idaho Fish and Game Department as a roadside carcass surveyor in the Upper Snake Region. She drives US-20 from Idaho Falls to the Montana border searching for carcasses and collecting data. “Why?” you may ask. Ecology is the study of interactions and relationships between organisms and their environments. Road ecology is an emerging science where scientists study the ecological effects of roads, which Turner does by collecting data on road kills. From two-tracks to interstates, most people use some kind of road in their daily lives. The United States alone contains 4.12 million miles of road (2.68 million paved miles) and the ecological effects (direct and indirect) of this transportation system are vast. The ecological effects of roads have been studied in Idaho since at least the late 1960s, when Fish and Game documented the effects of the completion and opening of Interstate 84 in southern Idaho on the migratory Sublett mule deer herd. The freeway op...

Hilary Turner works for the Idaho Fish and Game Department as a roadside carcass surveyor in the Upper Snake Region. She drives US-20 from Idaho Falls to the Montana border searching for carcasses and collecting data. “Why?” you may ask. Ecology is the study of interactions and relationships between organisms and their environments. Road ecology is an emerging science where scientists study the ecological effects of roads, which Turner does by collecting data on road kills. From two-tracks to interstates, most people use some kind of road in their daily lives. The United States alone contains 4.12 million miles of road (2.68 million paved miles) and the ecological effects (direct and indirect) of this transportation system are vast. The ecological effects of roads have been studied in Idaho since at least the late 1960s, when Fish and Game documented the effects of the completion and opening of Interstate 84 in southern Idaho on the migratory Sublett mule deer herd. The freeway op...

Gibbs Amphibians (Gibbs), in partnership with Madaeen Al Doha Group, showcased high-speed amphibious vehicles Humdinga and Aquada at the Katara Beach. “We will be exhibiting the Humdinga at Milipol Qatar, the 12th International Exhibition of Internal Security and Civil Defence 2018,” Gibbs Sports Amphibians chairman Neil Jenkins told Gulf Times. Milipol Qatar, under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, is scheduled to take place from October 29 to 31 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. Gibbs will also be holding several free demonstrations at Katara, both on land and water, after the exhibition. The Humdinga, primarily directed towards corporate and government customers, can carry up to nine passengers, with the signature Gibbs central driving position and a tonne in payload. The amphibious vehicle reaches speeds of 40mph on water and over 80mph on land, with twin Gibbs proprietary water jets and 4WD. Gibbs has locations in the UK (Nu...

Gibbs Amphibians (Gibbs), in partnership with Madaeen Al Doha Group, showcased high-speed amphibious vehicles Humdinga and Aquada at the Katara Beach. “We will be exhibiting the Humdinga at Milipol Qatar, the 12th International Exhibition of Internal Security and Civil Defence 2018,” Gibbs Sports Amphibians chairman Neil Jenkins told Gulf Times. Milipol Qatar, under the patronage of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, is scheduled to take place from October 29 to 31 at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. Gibbs will also be holding several free demonstrations at Katara, both on land and water, after the exhibition. The Humdinga, primarily directed towards corporate and government customers, can carry up to nine passengers, with the signature Gibbs central driving position and a tonne in payload. The amphibious vehicle reaches speeds of 40mph on water and over 80mph on land, with twin Gibbs proprietary water jets and 4WD. Gibbs has locations in the UK (Nu...

Weeks Bay Foundation accepting entries for photo contest Amateur photographers from across the Gulf Coast have two more weeks to get their entries in for the 19th Annual Weeks Bay Photo Contest. The official deadline is October 22 at 5 p.m. With four categories and two divisions, adult and junior (16 and under), there are numerous ways to compete for the prizes, and the honor of having your photos seen throughout the year in Weeks Bay Foundation literature, website, social media and more. Winners will be chosen for first place, second place, third place, and honorable mention in each of the four categories in each division. Plus, the Best of Show honoree will receive a $100 grand prize. Judges this year are Rodney Kilgore, Stephen Savage and Lynn Oldshue. The categories are: Flora: plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, etc; Fauna: animals, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, etc.; Habitat: outdoor scene or landscape; People in Nature: people recreating or enjoying the c...

Weeks Bay Foundation accepting entries for photo contest Amateur photographers from across the Gulf Coast have two more weeks to get their entries in for the 19th Annual Weeks Bay Photo Contest. The official deadline is October 22 at 5 p.m. With four categories and two divisions, adult and junior (16 and under), there are numerous ways to compete for the prizes, and the honor of having your photos seen throughout the year in Weeks Bay Foundation literature, website, social media and more. Winners will be chosen for first place, second place, third place, and honorable mention in each of the four categories in each division. Plus, the Best of Show honoree will receive a $100 grand prize. Judges this year are Rodney Kilgore, Stephen Savage and Lynn Oldshue. The categories are: Flora: plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, etc; Fauna: animals, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, etc.; Habitat: outdoor scene or landscape; People in Nature: people recreating or enjoying the c...

Recently Published market study ” Global Reptile Amphibian Food Market 2018-2025 ” in-depth analysis of the Reptile Amphibian Food market state and also the competitive landscape globally. It analyses the necessary factors of the Reptile Amphibian Food Market based on present trade situation, market demands, business ways utilised by Reptile Amphibian Food market players and also the future prospects from numerous angles thoroughly. The report additionally presents forecast for Reptile Amphibian Food Market from 2018 until 2025. In this report, the Reptile Amphibian Food market value concerning X billion USD in 2017 and it’s expected to achieve XX billion USD in 2025 with a median growth rate X %. USA is that the largest production of Reptile Amphibian Food Market and consumption region within the world, whereas China is quickest growing region. Geographically, Reptile Amphibian Food market report is segmental into many key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue. the most ...

LADDERS to help frogs and toads escape from roadside drains have been installed in Warwick and Norton Lindsey by volunteers from Warwickshire Amphibian and Reptile Team (WART). Frogs and toads fall in the drains when they migrate to and from their breeding ponds. Since 2017 volunteers from WART have been rescuing animals from drains at a site in Warwick using nets and buckets. Warwickshire County Council gave permission to install ladders that help animals escape roadside drains. The ladders were designed by Trevor Rose of The British Herpetological Society to help tackle the problem of trapped amphibians in drains, which often happens where roads are located near ponds. The ladder consists of a metal base with polyethylene fibre mesh on the top. Animals are able to grip on the material and climb out of drains. This was tested on a number of sites in the UK including Norton Lindsey in Warwickshire and Balsall Common, Solihull and shown in studies to be the most effective means of e...

LADDERS to help frogs and toads escape from roadside drains have been installed in Warwick and Norton Lindsey by volunteers from Warwickshire Amphibian and Reptile Team (WART). Frogs and toads fall in the drains when they migrate to and from their breeding ponds. Since 2017 volunteers from WART have been rescuing animals from drains at a site in Warwick using nets and buckets. Warwickshire County Council gave permission to install ladders that help animals escape roadside drains. The ladders were designed by Trevor Rose of The British Herpetological Society to help tackle the problem of trapped amphibians in drains, which often happens where roads are located near ponds. The ladder consists of a metal base with polyethylene fibre mesh on the top. Animals are able to grip on the material and climb out of drains. This was tested on a number of sites in the UK including Norton Lindsey in Warwickshire and Balsall Common, Solihull and shown in studies to be the most effective means of e...

LADDERS to help frogs and toads escape from roadside drains have been installed in Warwick and Norton Lindsey by volunteers from Warwickshire Amphibian and Reptile Team (WART). Frogs and toads fall in the drains when they migrate to and from their breeding ponds. Since 2017 volunteers from WART have been rescuing animals from drains at a site in Warwick using nets and buckets. Warwickshire County Council gave permission to install ladders that help animals escape roadside drains. The ladders were designed by Trevor Rose of The British Herpetological Society to help tackle the problem of trapped amphibians in drains, which often happens where roads are located near ponds. The ladder consists of a metal base with polyethylene fibre mesh on the top. Animals are able to grip on the material and climb out of drains. This was tested on a number of sites in the UK including Norton Lindsey in Warwickshire and Balsall Common, Solihull and shown in studies to be the most effective means of e...

REGARDING the approval process for quarries on farmland, I believe we must consider the possibility actively-farmed paddocks could be a viable habitat for native species. A century or more of intensive agriculture on Yorke Peninsula has destroyed most of the native habitat. We have to accept the original ecosystem that existed for thousands of years has gone. However, a new ecosystem has evolved around agricultural activity. Fauna and flora can be adaptable — some will have developed strategies to survive in the new habitat. Within and along the edges of the paddocks native species exist and some may be vulnerable or endangered. If we consider specific examples such as local skinks we need to be careful about assuming agricultural practices extinguish conservation value in and around farming paddocks. Many species of reptile and amphibians are nomadic and as such I believe can coexist with agricultural activities. Skinks and frogs burrow and I believe can survive invasive agricul...

'Narrative of hope': A beaver Bringing back animals such as beavers and giant tortoises could help stop flooding, forest fires and even climate change , according to research. A study looking at the impact of reintroducing wild animals to where they once belonged has found that doing so can help damaged habitats recover. The earth lost 58 per cent of amphibians, fish, reptiles, mammals and birds between 1970 and 2012, according to the Zoological Society of London . But experts at the University of Stirling say ‘rewilding’ represents a ‘narrative of hope’ that can reverse the downward trend. They found that the reintroduction of beavers in Sweden boosted wildlife, creating ‘ponds’ with dams made from trees and branches. The research, published in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, found 15 per cent more plant species in areas with beaver ponds compared to wetlands where beavers – which are also being reintroduced in Britain – were not pres...