Woodpeckers hammer their beaks into trees at a force of 15 mph, 20 times per second - that's 12,000 times a day - but they don't get headaches. According to research by an ophthalmologist at the University of California/Davis, woodpeckers' bodies are designed to absorb the impact. Thick muscles in their necks contract a millisecond before a strike, radiating some of the force down the neck, while compressible bone in the skull provides cushioning. Also, because woodpeckers have virtually no spinal fluid in their skulls, their brains remain rigid. Obviously, this process is more complicated than just saying woodpeckers are "headstrong".
Cows, however, are headstrong. Cows that are given names produce more milk. Research published in the British journal Anthrozoos compared production from England's National Milk Records with survey results from 516 dairy farmers. Dairy farmers who addressed their cows by individual names such as Bessie or Rosie got 68 gallons of milk more per cow over the 10-month lactation period than dairy farmers who didn't address their cows by name. These findings were the same regardless of farm size or how much cows were fed. Considering only 46% of the dairy farmers surveyed named their cows, this information could create a new "milky way".
Beverly Hills Spas use milk for facials - but not just any milk. For best results the milk has to be squeezed within minutes after a cow gives birth. Because this milk contains the most nutrients, it supposedly can be used to make a mask that takes years off the face. By making the skin tighter, it looks younger. If that isn't enough, having bovine stem cells applied directly to the face is meant to rejuvenate the skin. For $100-$250 per treatment a woman can go into a spa and come out a "cowgirl".
And then there are whales. Whales help oceans absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. This is the finding of research done by the Australian Antarctic Division and the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Center. Iron-containing algae are eaten by krill, krill are eaten by whales, whales excrete iron-rich feces, iron-rich feces promote the growth of algae and algae absorb CO2. When the algae die and sink to the bottom of the ocean, they take the CO2 with them. This interaction between krill, whales and algae is a self-sustaining cycle - and a "whale of a way" to fight CO2-caused global warming.
According to a report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Clownfish - the real-life Nemos of the sea - are endangered. Sea waters are becoming more acidic because of high carbon dioxide levels, which prevent coral organisms from making shells. The coral reef habitats of Clownfish are also severely threatened by warmer waters, which bleach coral - eventually killing it. Mass coral bleaching is a relatively new phenomenon, first noticed in the 1980's. However, it's now the main cause of reef deterioration. That one-third of all coral species are threatened is an "offishial" IUCN fact.
According to the same 2009 report by the IUCN, koalas are endangered too. Koalas depend on eucalyptus leaves for food. However, the increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the environment are reducing the protein levels in eucalyptus leaves and increasing the tannin levels. Because carbon dioxide levels are expected to continue to rise, koalas could suffer from malnutrition. Then there's global warming, which is expected to cause more wildfires and more severe droughts in Australia, which are also threats to koalas. That koala bears don't have a strong ability to adapt is unfortunately a "bear" fact.
However, there's hope. Northern white rhinoceroses have been hunted to the point of extinction by poachers in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. None have been seen in the wild since 2005 and only 8 are known to remain in the world. Unlike other rhinos, this subspecies doesn't breed well in captivity. To prevent their extinction 4 northern white rhinoceroses - 2 males and 2 females - were shipped in December 2009 from a Czechoslovakian zoo to a Kenyan reserve. It's hoped the climate and terrain will encourage breeding. Otherwise, one of the rarest animals in the world will be rarefied into extinction.
Hope continues. In January 2010 experts estimated there were only 350 whooping cranes left worldwide. In fact, in 2001 there were none in eastern North America. That's when the nonprofit "Operation Migration" started using ultralight aircraft to guide young cranes from Wisconsin to two wildlife refuges in Florida every year. Now there are more than 100 whooping cranes in Florida. Whooping cranes have to be shown the way south once and then they know how to fly north in the spring. Starting new generations of whooping cranes in Florida can prevent their extinction - giving Operation Migration reason for whooping it up.
According to a study published in the journal "BMC Evolutionary Biology", some spiders cooperate more with relatives. German researchers divided Stegodyphus tentoriicola spiders into 2 groups - siblings and non-siblings - while studying their food collecting behavior. Siblings worked better together when looking for food and were more likely to share digestive enzymes for quicker eating of prey. Even in large groups, where fracturing interferes with productivity, sibling spiders avoided destructive patterns and were more productive. It seems cooperation among relatives is common in the animal kingdom. For humans with the ability to reason, this should be reasonable.
According to researchers at The Australian National University, male fiddler crabs defend neighboring females from invaders in return for sex. Both males and females are territorial and live in burrows; but males have a large, defensive claw and females have 2 small, feeding claws. When out-of-the-area fiddler crabs were brought in, males fought off male invaders on neighboring females' territory 95% of the time. However, when the invaders were female, the males fought them off only 15% of the time. Sex for protection is a "defense coalition" - something wives should remember when invaded by things like leaking faucets and peeling paint.
According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the brown pelican was off the endangered list as of November 11, 2009. The brown pelican was declared an endangered species in 1970. For almost 40 years these birds had to struggle to survive being hunted for their feathers and being exposed to widespread habitat loss. However, the recovery of the species is largely due to the 1972 ban on the pesticide DDT, which devastated their population. Brown pelicans are again prevalent across Florida, the Gulf and Pacific coasts and the Caribbean due to the 1973 Endangered Species Act in action.
Animals listed as being critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature are presumed to be extinct. Not so, however, with the Beck's petrel. The Beck's petrel is a dark brown seabird with a pale belly and a tube-like nose. Although this species hadn't been seen since the 1920's, an Israeli ornithologist photographed 30 of them in flight over islands northeast of Papua, New Guinea in March 2008. Because the exact location of their breeding grounds isn't known, conservationists plan to search the area. Obviously, they hope the saying "birds of a feather flock together" is scientific fact.
Veterinarians are reporting dogs and cats are living longer – some for more than 15 years. Dogs’ longevity is directly related to breed size. Toy breeds live longest (12-14 years). Giant breeds live the shortest time (6-8 years). However, mixed breeds tend to live longer than pure breeds. In estimating a dog’s age 1 dog year equals 12 people years, 2 dog years equal 24 people years and every dog year after that equals 4 people years. Thus a 12-year-old dog would be 64 people years. As for cats, any well-cared-for, indoor cat is likely to reach the late teens or early twenties – counting all 9 lives.
Unfortunately, veterinarians are also reporting they are treating an increasing number of dogs that have eaten xylitol. Xylitol is in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables – including various berries, corn husks, mushrooms and oats. It’s a natural sugar alcohol used as a sugar substitute, especially in gum. Supposedly it’s good for teeth, diabetes, osteoporosis and infection – but it’s not good for pets. For pets it has a life-threatening toxicity that can cause liver failure. Symptoms of xylitol poisoning include vomiting and a weak, wobbly appearance, requiring immediate treatment. Obviously, pet owners should treat xylitol-containing products with dogged attention to avoid cat-astrophes.
To get the attention of pet owners a campaign by the Los Angeles County District attorney featured a picture of a dog in an oven. It’s a reminder that it’s against the law to leave animals in hot cars. A car’s interior can reach 100 degrees when it’s 72 degrees outside. Dogs have body temperatures of 101-102.5 degrees. Body temperatures of 107-108 degrees can cause brain damage and death. Leaving a pet in a hot car is a misdemeanor with up to 6 months in jail. If the pet dies, it’s a felony with up to 3 years in state prison. This should be dogma.
And then there’s Scarlett’s Magic. She holds the Guinness Record as the world’s tallest pet cat – 17.1 inches. SM, however, isn’t an ordinary housecat. She’s a F1 Savannah – a cross between a domesticated breed and an African Serval – a medium-sized wild cat sharing common traits with cheetahs. Although F1 Savannahs are the closest thing to wild cats allowed as pets in most states, SM’s owners say she has the “charm of a domesticated cat”. Because cubs cost $5,000-$50,000, F1 Savannah cats might not catapult to popularity immediately.
Turtles shut down a runway at John F. Kennedy International airport on July 8, 2009. At least 78 turtles emerged from a nearby bay and crawled unto the tarmac. The turtles were identified as Diamondback terrapins, a species common to Jamaica Bay that surrounds the airport. Although the turtles were gathered up in 35 minutes and deposited in water farther from the airport, JFK’s flight schedule experienced delays up to 90 minutes. It seems turtle spawning season occurs in late June and early July, providing a 21st century version of the air and the tortoise.
Deep Sea Worms were collected using undersea robots. According to research published in the journal “Science”, 7 new segmented species were discovered. Five of the species cast off glowing bombs to escape predators. These bombs seem to be made of gill parts and glow when ejected from the worms. The newly named “Swima bombiviridis" (good swimming green bomber) use comb-like body bristles as paddles to propel through the water. So far they’ve been found off the coast of the Philippines, Mexico and the U.S.; but because they live 1.2 to 1.9 miles below the water’s surface, Swima bombiviridis aren’t likely to light up our lives.
Jellyfish may help to reduce the effects of climate change. According to a study published in the journal “Nature”, jellyfish do this by participating in ocean mixing. Although tides and winds are the major participants, new movies show that jellyfish drag water behind them as they swim. To avoid predators jellyfish swim to the surface at night to feed. It’s expected that they take cold water to the surface and warm water to the ocean depths. They may also take dissolved carbon dioxide down with them, lowering the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Humans who ignore climate change, however, are a different kind of jellyfish.
Dogs are trained by Italy’s National Civil Protection Agency to be lifeguards. About 70 Labradors, Newfoundlands and Golden Retrievers – all strong in the water – have been trained for at least 2 years from puppyhood. When these dogs see swimmers in trouble, they paddle to the swimmers – with or without their human partners. The troubled swimmers can hold onto the dogs or the dogs can tow the swimmers ashore by their bathing suits. In fact, these dogs are strong enough to tow three people simultaneously – giving new meaning to the “dog days” of summer.
