Latest news with #biologists
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists stunned after discovering long-lost fish thriving in lake for decades: 'It's kind of like finding the missing link'
Scientists stunned after discovering long-lost fish thriving in lake for decades: 'It's kind of like finding the missing link' More than an estimated six decades after it vanished from Lake Erie, a long-lost native fish has resurfaced, the Pocono Record reported. Biologist Doug Fischer and colleagues with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission recently confirmed the presence of shallow-water ciscoes thriving in northeastern Pennsylvania. The species hadn't been seen in Lake Erie since the 1950s or early 1960s, after it was wiped out thanks to pollution, overfishing, and competition from invasive species. But thanks to stocking efforts in the early 20th century, a population has quietly survived in the privately owned Crystal Lake — and researchers are wondering if it could be the key to bringing shallow-water ciscoes back to Lake Erie. "It's kind of like finding the missing link," said Fischer. "The Great Lake cisco are still present in the upper lakes and Lake Ontario, but there's no other place to get shallow-water cisco for Lake Erie to round out the community there," he said. Now, biologists from multiple states, universities, and federal agencies are collaborating to study the fish's genetics and evaluate whether ciscoes could be used in a carefully planned repopulation program. Fortunately, it's not the first comeback story to offer hope. Species such as the fisher in Ohio and the rare Southern California steelhead trout have survived near extinction. Returning ciscoes to Lake Erie could benefit both people and the lake. The fish was a major food source for native lake trout, and its return could help rebalance the cold-water ecosystem. That could give a boost to local fisheries if the population rebounds to sustainable levels. "If we can bring that back to what it used to be, that may be impossible, but I think even an attempt to do that is necessary," said Jerry Skrypzak, president of Save Our Native Species of Lake Erie. With stronger environmental protections in place, including improvements under the Clean Water Act, scientists are cautiously optimistic that conditions in Lake Erie are finally good enough to support a second chance. "We got to the point where we think things are good enough, recovered enough, that an effort like this would be fruitful," Fischer said. There's still a long road ahead, but the find could someday play a major role in reviving a critical component of Lake Erie's biodiversity. As Fischer said, "Maybe 50 years from now it might have been a key management decision that we had a part in." Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Burmese pythons completely digest prey, including skeletons. Here's how
Just when you thought you knew everything about one of Florida's least-favorite invasive species, a surprise emerges. Scientists have discovered a new type of cell that helps Burmese pythons digest the skeletons of their prey, according to the Journal of Experimental Biology. You heard correctly, after a python swallows its meal — which can be as large as a whole deer — researchers have found why no bone fragments emerged, um, from either end. It all has to do with a newly discovered bone-digesting cell in the snakes' intestines. Where do Burmese pythons live? Originally from Southeast Asia, the Burmese python was introduced to southern Florida either through accidental escape or intentional release of captive animals. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida has removed more than 20 tons — 40,000 pounds — of Burmese pythons in Southwest Florida since 2013. The team uses 40 "scout snakes" to locate reproductive pythons during the breeding season, November through April, across a 200-square-mile area of public and private land from Naples through the Western Everglades. "Biologists target adult female pythons, attempting to suppress python reproduction. Since 2013, the team has stopped an additional 20,000 python eggs from hatching," the Conservancy of Southwest Florida said. What do Burmese pythons eat? Pythons can consume meals over 100% of their body mass, feeding on a diet that includes more than 85 species, including deer, bobcats, foxes, rabbits, birds, various reptiles and other native wildlife. Special cells allow Burmese pythons to absorb skeletons of their prey Scientists have discovered a 'previously unknown cell type' in the walls of pythons' intestines that completely dissolves skeletons, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. Professor Jehan-Hervé Lignot of the University of Montpellier in France is credited with the discovery, using captive juvenile pythons as his test subjects and subjecting the snakes with three different types of diet: a normal diet with entire rodents; a low-calcium diet using rodents with no bones; and a calcium-rich diet using boneless rodents and calcium carbonate supplements. Looking at the specialized cells in the snakes' intestines revealed "Burmese pythons possess a specialised intestinal cell type involved in excreting excess dissolved calcium and phosphorus that originate from the prey and are precipitated as particles that must accumulate in the faeces." Snakes fed boneless prey suffer from calcium deficiencies, but too much calcium isn't good, either, and absorbing the calcium from an entire skeleton could put too much calcium into the snakes' bloodstream. 'We wanted to identify how they were able to process and limit this huge absorption of calcium through the intestinal wall,' Lignot told EurekaAlert, a nonprofit news-release distribution platform operated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Burmese pythons aren't alone when it comes to the specialized cells. They've also been identified in other pythons, boa constrictors and the venomous Gila monster." Largest pythons documented in Florida Burmese pythons, classified as one of the largest snakes in the world, are an invasive specifies in Florida and are found primarily in and around the Everglades, where the snake represents a threat to native wildlife, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida said its scientists were recognized for capturing the largest female python ever documented to date, measuring 18 feet long and weighing 215 pounds, as well as the largest male python on record at 16 feet and 140 pounds. Pythons may not be venomous but their bite hurts According to the Florida Museum website, small individual pythons are not generally dangerous to people or pets. Large Burmese pythons have large, sharp teeth, and their bites can cause severe lacerations. ➤ Florida python hunter describes python bite: 'Like a mouthful of hypodermic needles' "They are like a mouthful of hyperdermic needles," is how the python hunter Amy Siewe described a bite from a python. This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Burmese pythons digest entire skeletons with bone-digesting cell Solve the daily Crossword
Associated Press
15-07-2025
- Climate
- Associated Press
Warming rivers prompt fishing restrictions in western Montana
Nearly a dozen rivers in western Montana and a handful of rivers inside the borders of Yellowstone National Park are under restrictions or closures as biologists seek to reduce angling-related sources of fish mortality. On July 9, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks announced that portions of Upper Rock Creek, the Clark Fork River, the Bitterroot River and the entirety of Silver Bow Creek are closed to angling after 2 p.m. to protect fish during the hottest hours of the day. The previous day, hoot owl restrictions were announced for sections of the Ruby, Big Hole, Beaverhead and Smith rivers and for the entirety of the Jefferson River. The Sun River and the Madison River, perhaps the state's most popular angling destination, were placed under hoot owl closures particularly early this year — July 2 for the Sun River and June 19 for the Madison River above Hebgen Lake. FWP initiates hoot owl closures when river temperatures reach 73 degrees for three consecutive days and uses angler pressure and flow-based criteria when considering full closures. Trout are particularly susceptible to disease spread and other sources of mortality from late July through late August, when meager flows, rising temperatures and low dissolved oxygen levels converge. Water temperatures above 77 degrees can be lethal to trout. On July 11, Yellowstone National Park initiated full fishing closures to protect aquatic ecosystems inside its boundaries. The Madison, Firehole and Gibbon rivers and their tributaries are closed to all fishing. Park officials consider closing rivers inside its border to fishing when water temperatures hit the 68-degree mark and will revisit the closures when those temperatures cool and flows return to 'more typical summer conditions.' Additional closures may be coming, park officials noted. The announcements come about a month after FWP hosted a virtual town hall to alert the angling public to rapidly declining streamflows across much of the state. Biologists attribute diminishing streamflows to the loss of much of the state's near-average wintertime snowpack in May. 'As things continue to drop … we'll continue to work with water users on where we can find conservation measures to keep as much water as we can in the river,' Region 3 Fisheries Manager Mike Duncan said at the June 11 meeting. Conditions are shaping up to be very similar to 2021, he added. That year, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte issued a drought-related disaster declaration on July 1 and more than 15 rivers were subject to some form of angling restriction or closure by mid-August. Other FWP biologists observed that several reservoirs in the state never filled this spring and cautioned anglers and fly-fishing guides to prepare for limited access to reservoir boat ramps at places like the Tiber and Gibson reservoirs. As of July 14, approximately 20 rivers in western Montana were within the 10th percentile for low flows, including blue-ribbon fisheries such as the Big Hole, Blackfoot, Madison and Missouri rivers as well as the Clark Fork and one of its largest tributaries — Rock Creek. The Dearborn River stream gauge near Craig, which has 55 years of records, was sitting at an all-time low, producing just 16 cubic feet per second of flow. Rivers across the state are experiencing near-record-low flows with additional challenges expected. In a follow-up conversation with Montana Free Press on Monday, Duncan noted that water quantity and fish health are closely linked. 'When we have water, almost all of these fisheries respond favorably,' Duncan said, going on to describe suboptimal flows as one of the 'major limiting factors' in overall trout population trends. Duncan added that additional restrictions and closures could be announced as rivers around the state continue to dwindle and heat up. FWP's Current Restrictions and Closures page is the best source of information for most of the rivers in the state. Yellowstone National Park notices angling closures inside its borders on the Plan Your Visit section of its website. About one-third of the state is in moderate or severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. On Wednesday, the Governor's Drought and Water Supply Advisory Committee will meet in Helena and virtually to discuss current conditions and drought mitigation measures. ___ This story was originally published by Montana Free Press and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mediterranean Sea poised to break all-time heat records
ROME – The Mediterranean Sea is on track to potentially surpass its all-time highest recorded temperature, with large portions of the basin estimated to be between 5- and 10-degrees Fahrenheit above average, with even locally greater anomalies. According to satellite data, sea surface temperatures throughout the region have been consistently breaking records through the month of June. Most readings are registering in the mid to upper 70s Fahrenheit, and with the hottest months of the season still to come, there appears to be little in store to immediately reverse the warming trend. The warmest average sea surface temperature for the Mediterranean was set just last year, when the basin reached a stunning 84 degrees Fahrenheit in August 2024, surpassing the previous record set in 2023, according to Europe's Copernicus Marine Service. Alaska's Largest Wildfires Of Year Rage After 31,000 Lightning Strikes Over 3-Day Period Extended marine heatwaves are known to damage coral reef ecosystems, and while the Mediterranean Sea does not have extensive reefs compared to the tropics, biologists say it is home to unique coral formations and other marine habitats. In addition to ecological risks, the warming sea surface is influencing weather patterns across Southern Europe and Northern Africa. Weather observation sites have recorded elevated dew points in recent days, with some areas reaching the mid-70s Fahrenheit - levels of humidity typically seen in more tropical climates such as the United States' Gulf Coast. This level of added moisture can dramatically increase the heat index and make it harder for the human body to cool down through evaporation. Studies estimate that just over 20% of households across Europe have access to air conditioning, which can make any heat wave oppressive. Elevated sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean are not just an isolated phenomenon - it is part of a larger global trend, with record warmth observed in most ocean basins over the past few years. Many climatologists attribute the long-term warming to climate change, while others point to more regional oscillation patterns as contributing factors. 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season Guide: Here's What To Know About The Tropics This Year At face value, a persistently warm subtropical zone, such as the current Mediterranean setup and nearby waterways, can suppress tropical cyclone formation in the Main Development Region (MDR) of the Atlantic by decreasing atmospheric instability. At the same time, it can also lead to tropical activity in more unusual northern latitudes, outside the classic storm formation zones. Forecasters will be watching closely to see whether the current anomalies in the Mediterranean Sea migrate more southwestward, which could align with more traditional water temperature patterns. A similar setup occurred in 2003, when a boiling Mediterranean was paired with a more lukewarm tropical Atlantic early in the season, but sea temperatures eventually transitioned weeks later, warming the MDR and leading to several long-track Cape Verde hurricanes. Whether the 2025 hurricane season follows a similar pattern remains to be seen, but the impacts of the latest Mediterranean heat wave will be monitored for impacts locally and around the article source: Mediterranean Sea poised to break all-time heat records
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Yahoo
Look: Michigan DNR rescues bear with lid around its neck
June 24 (UPI) -- Wildlife biologists in Michigan were able to rescue a black bear seen wandering for two years with a plastic lid stuck around its neck. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources said state wildlife biologists in Montmorency County had been aware of the bear's predicament since it was first recorded by a trail camera in 2023, but they were unable to pinpoint the animal's location for long enough to launch a rescue operation until a Hillman resident's camera photographed the animal earlier this month. Biologists set a live capture trap on the property and the bear was soon ensnared. "It isn't known exactly where or how the male bear got its head stuck in a 5-inch hole in the lid," the DNR said in a news release. "The blue plastic lid is similar to those that fit 55-gallon drums used by hunters to bait bear and by landowners to store materials that can attract bears, such as chicken feed." The DNR reminded residents that while bear-baiting is legal in the state, the containers are required to have holes no larger than 1 inch in diameter. The bear had scarring and an abscess around its neck area, but was found to be otherwise healthy. It was released at the scene after recovering from anesthesia.
