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Extinction of Species

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AndyinPA
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Extinction of Species

#1

Post by AndyinPA »

Up first, Us.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... n-survival
Falling sperm counts and changes to sexual development are “threatening human survival” and leading to a fertility crisis, a leading epidemiologist has warned.

Writing in a new book, Shanna Swan, an environmental and reproductive epidemiologist at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, warns that the impending fertility crisis poses a global threat comparable to that of the climate crisis.

“The current state of reproductive affairs can’t continue much longer without threatening human survival,” she writes in Count Down.

It comes after a study she co-authored in 2017 found that sperm counts in the west had plummeted by 59% between 1973 and 2011, making headlines globally.

Now, Swan says, following current projections, the median sperm count is set to reach zero in 2045. “That’s a little concerning, to say the least,” she told Axios.
"Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears… To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies." -Octavia E. Butler
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Re: Extinction of Species

#2

Post by Lani »

:shock: And that's not including covid-related ED.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#3

Post by Liz »

I have three children. All by the way it has always been done.
I have five grandchildren from 2 of my 3. All the result of IVF.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#4

Post by AndyinPA »

https://apnews.com/article/monarch-butt ... 78b3236c4b

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The number of monarch butterflies that showed up at their winter resting grounds in central Mexico decreased by about 26% this year, and four times as many trees were lost to illegal logging, drought and other causes, making 2020 a bad year for the butterflies.

The government commission for natural protected areas said the butterflies’ population covered only 2.1 hectares (5.2 acres) in 2020, compared to 2.8 hectares (6.9 acres) the previous year and about one-third of the 6.05 hectares (14.95 acres) detected in 2018.

Because the monarchs cluster so densely in pine and fir trees, it is easier to count them by area rather than by individuals.

Gloria Tavera, the regional director of Mexico’s Commission for National Protected Areas, blamed the drop on “extreme climate conditions,” the loss of milkweed habitat in the United States and Canada on which butterflies depend, and deforestation in the butterflies’ wintering grounds in Mexico.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#5

Post by Volkonski »

:( :( :( :( :( :(
“If everyone fought for their own convictions there would be no war.” ― Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace
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Re: Extinction of Species

#6

Post by Liz »

What Humans Can Learn From Calhoun's Rodent Utopia. Rodent Utopia Universe 25
Universe 25 experiment.
Calhoun devised his ultimate research experiment. In Universe 25, a population of mice would grow within a 2.7-square-meter enclosure consisting of four pens, 256 living compartments and 16 burrows that led to food and water supplies.... the overall enclosure was built for a capacity of 3,000

With a plague-free environment, a plenitude of comforts, a lack of predation and an unlimited supply of consumables, the mice would enjoy all the luxuries equivalent to modern human life. Calhoun initiated the experiment with four pairs of healthy mice, which were set loose into the enclosure to begin the new society.
During the first 104 days — a phase Calhoun dubbed the "strive period" — the mice adjusted to their new surroundings, marked their territory and began nesting. This was followed by the "exploit period," which saw the population double every 55 days. By the 315th day, Universe 25 contained 620 mice.
By Day 315, behavior disparities between males of high and low status became more pronounced. ... The alpha males, by contrast, became more aggressive and pugnacious, often launching into violence with no clear provocation or motive.... In several instances, bloodbaths ended with a cannibalistic feast for the victors...

By the 560th day, the population increase had ceased altogether as the mortality rate hovered at 100 percent.

Gradually, the mice that refused to mate or engage in society came to outnumber those that formed gangs, raped and plundered, and fed off their own. The last known conception in Universe 25 occurred on Day 920, at which point the population was capped at 2,200, well short of the enclosure's 3,000 capacity.

An endless supply of food, water and other resources were still there for the mice, but it didn't matter. The behavior sink had set in, and there was no stopping Universe 25 from careening to its self-made demise. Soon enough, there was not a single living mouse left in the enclosure..
/quote]
Rodent Utopia Universe 25
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Re: Extinction of Species

#7

Post by HST's Ghost »

Thank god we aren't mice!!

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Re: Extinction of Species

#8

Post by AndyinPA »

https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-po ... f32ff68f67
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government said Saturday it is considering reducing the protection area for the vaquita marina in the upper Gulf of California, an apparent admission that the tiny porpoise may never return to the entire historic range of its habitat.

The move would cut the area where gill nets are banned to protect the world’s most endangered marine mammal and smallest porpoise. As few as 10 vaquita may remain in the Gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, the only place in the world that the elusive porpoise lives.

Mexico’s Environment Department said Saturday that the drop in the number of vaquitas and the area where they have been seen in recent years justifies reducing the protection zone, which currently covers most of the upper Gulf. The zone starts around the Colorado river delta and extends south past the fishing town of San Felipe and near Puerto Peñasco.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#9

Post by AndyinPA »

Rare Pygmy Possums Just Got Rediscovered After Fears That Bushfires Wiped Them Out

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https://worldnaturepg.netlify.app/.netl ... /post/2470
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Re: Extinction of Species

#10

Post by AndyinPA »

Bald eagles

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... extinction
The species, once on the brink of extinction, has grown to 316,700 birds and 71,400 nesting pairs in the 2019 breeding season. US officials say the “strong return” of American bald eagles is a reminder of the power importance of federal conservation efforts and protections, such as banning the pesticide DDT.

Deb Haaland told the Associated Press that the growth of the species “is also a moment to reflect on the importance of the Endangered Species Act, a vital tool in the efforts to protect America’s wildlife”.

“The strong return of this treasured bird reminds us of our nation’s shared resilience and the importance of being responsible stewards of our lands and waters that bind us together,″ the interior secretary added. According to the AP, the bald eagle was removed from the list of endangered and threatened species in 2007.

Haaland also said her department plans to review actions taken by the Trump administration “to undermine key provisions” of the Endangered Species Act, which was created in 1973, 10 years after populations of American bald eagles had dwindled to just 417 known nesting pairs.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#11

Post by FiveAcres »

Bald eagles:

The first time I saw one near Homer Alaska the day after we arrived in the state, I was very excited. The excitement wore off within two days or so because they are everywhere there. My SIL had a pair nesting on her property (and it wasn't a big property.)
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Re: Extinction of Species

#12

Post by sterngard friegen »

If any species is worthy of extinction we are looking at examples of its members every morning when we brush our teeth.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#13

Post by AndyinPA »

:yeahthat:
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Re: Extinction of Species

#14

Post by Volkonski »

Climate change shrinks marine life richness near equator: study

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-clim ... SKBN2BS1Y4
Research published Monday finds that the total number of open-water species declined by about half in the 40 years up to 2010 in tropical marine zones worldwide. During that time, sea surface temperatures in the tropics rose nearly 0.2 degree Celsius. (Study: bit.ly/31KA1mC)

“Climate change is already impacting marine species diversity distribution,” with changes being more dramatic in the Northern Hemisphere where waters have warmed faster, said study co-author Chhaya Chaudhary, a biogeographer at Goethe University.

While numerous factors like overfishing have impacted tropical species, the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found a strong correlation between species decline and rising temperature.

Fish species diversity tended to either plateau or decline at or above 20C (68 Fahrenheit), the researchers found.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#15

Post by AndyinPA »

A good story.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... ince-1940s
Colorado has its first litter of gray wolf pups since the 1940s, state wildlife officials said on Wednesday.

A state biologist and district wildlife manager both spotted the litter of at least three wolf pups over the weekend with their parents, two adult wolves known to live in the state. Most wolf litters have four to six pups, so there could be more.

The discovery comes after Colorado voters narrowly approved a ballot measure last year that requires the state to reintroduce the animal on public lands in the western part of the state by the end of 2023.

Gray wolves lost their federal protected status as an endangered species earlier this year. But they remain protected at the state level, and hunting the animals in Colorado is illegal. Penalties for violations include fines, jail time and a loss of hunting license privileges.

“These pups will have plenty of potential mates when they grow up to start their own families,” Polis said in a statement.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#16

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

Don't swim, Estiveo*!!!!

https://www.sfgate.com
Great white shark bites man swimming at beach near San Francisco

A 35-year-old man was swimming off of Grey Whale Cove State Beach on the San Mateo County coast Saturday morning when he was bitten in the right leg by a 6- to 8-foot-long great white shark, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office.

The man swam to shore and paramedics, firefighters, police officers and park employees arrived on scene about 9:15 a.m.

The beach, which is located about 18 miles south of San Francisco between the communities of Pacific and Montara, was closed until further notice.

Great white sharks are native to the Pacific Ocean and are often seen off the California coast, especially in the summer.

A recent study by researchers at Oregon State found the population in Northern California is established and growing slightly. Scientists collected data from more than 2,500 hours of observation at three sites: Southeast Farallon Island, Año Nuevo Island and Tomales Point.They found,"the population of white sharks numbers about 300, and evidence suggests that the adult population showed a modest uptick in numbers" according to a statement.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#17

Post by Estiveo »

Great Whites like to munch on California Sea Lions, which breed at & around Año Nuevo. I used to camp regularly at Waddel Beach between Davenport & Año Nuevo, and partially eaten, shark-bit sea lion carcasses washed up on the beach were not uncommon.

Not a stretch of coastline I'd recommend for swimming. (Plus the water's colder than Orly Taitz's soul.)
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Re: Extinction of Species

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Post by Foggy »

Yeah, the only way to swim there is to wear a wetsuit ... which makes you look like a tasty sea lion. :eek:
Out from under. :thumbsup:
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Re: Extinction of Species

#19

Post by Maybenaut »

Back in 2002 my step-nephew (I think that’s what he is - he’s my stepmom’s grandson, but I never met him or his dad, my step-brother) got bit by a shark while surfing at Stinson Beach.
STINSON BEACH, California (CNN) -- A Great White shark attacked a surfer Friday off the northern California coast, biting him on the leg and back, the town fire chief said.

The victim -- 24-year-old Lee Fontan of Bolinas, California -- was listed in critical condition and undergoing surgery late Friday afternoon, said Marlo Lucila, a spokeswoman for Eden Medical Center.

Fontan was pulled from his board about 300 yards offshore and "apparently fought off the shark," said Stinson Beach Fire Chief Kenny Stevens.

Stevens said the attack was witnessed by 10 to 15 nearby surfers. The surfers reported seeing a 12- to 15-inch dorsal fin during the attack.

Victim fought off the Great White

"[Fontan] had an approximately 8- to 10-inch laceration on his left leg with bone and muscle exposed," Stevens said. "And on his upper back area, he had a mid-line rib area wound approximately 8 inches long, and a nick on his left arm. This is a pretty serious incident."

"He kept asking if he was going to be OK," Stevens said. "We told him that he would -- and he will be OK."

Authorities displayed Fontan's surfboard to the news media. The board had what appeared to be two large teeth marks and a damaged area that measured about 5 inches across.

Surfer Brook Gardner said she watched the attack.

"All I saw was thrashing up and down," she said. "He was, like, punching it."

Another surfer who said he was in the water at the time of the attack said surfers organized themselves into circles to defend against the shark.

"It was a very, very big shark," he said.

The beach was closed to surfing and swimming immediately following the attack and will remain closed for five days, Stevens said.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/05/31/calif. ... index.html
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Re: Extinction of Species

#20

Post by Volkonski »

More shellfish news-

Inside efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay's oyster population

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chesapeake ... =123810262
Due to over-harvesting, pollution and disease, more than 99% of the historic native oyster population has disappeared.

The state of Maryland has committed to a restoration plan looking to rebuild oyster colonies in five tributaries on its side of the bay.

Inside 3,000-gallon tanks are millions of future oysters — work done by the Oyster Recovery Partnership, a nonprofit dedicated to Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration.

"The work that we're doing is all in Maryland at this point, working in tributaries within the bay to restore those oyster reefs," said Ward Slacum, executive director of the Oyster Recovery Partnership. Slacum said oysters are important to the cultural heritage of Maryland.
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Re: Extinction of Species

#21

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

https://www.treehugger.com/etta-lemon-h ... ds-5192315
How Etta Lemon Helped Save the Birds
UK conservationist battled against feathered hat fashion.


In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a fashion war over feathers. Highly stylish women's headwear typically involved loads of feathers and plumes and sometimes entire birds. Species began to struggle as millineries needed more and more birds to decorate increasingly extravagant hats.

On both sides of the ocean, women conservationists were fighting to save birds from such a decorated demise. In the United Kingdom, Etta Lemon campaigned for 50 years against the slaughter of birds for elaborate fashion.

Lemon was the co-founder of the all-women organization that later became the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

While she was battling for the birds, a woman named Emmeline Pankhurst was fighting for the right to vote. Pankhurst waged her more newsworthy war while wearing ornately plumed headwear.

Journalist Tessa Boase was intrigued by the juxtaposition of these two crusading women and their rival crusades. She researched their stories and recently wrote "Etta Lemon – The Woman Who Saved the Birds" (Aurum Press).
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Re: Extinction of Species

#22

Post by Dave from down under »

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-09/ ... /100443764

Conservationists are celebrating the birth of almost 30 eastern quoll joeys at a breeding facility in New South Wales.

Key points:
A breeding facility has welcomed 28 eastern quoll joeys this season
The eastern quoll become extinct on mainland Australia 60 years ago and numbers in Tasmania have been declining
Breeding programs, and the release of quolls back into the wild, are seen as ways to protect the species
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Re: Extinction of Species

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Post by RTH10260 »

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Re: Extinction of Species

#24

Post by AndyinPA »

Very cool!
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Re: Extinction of Species

#25

Post by Uninformed »

I suppose rare species will be on the black market shortly unless the area is protected. :mad:
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