https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd 6 Articles- Katelyn Bigley Pd 3-4 en-us 2016-11-09 19:59:29 UTC 2017-05-12 23:52:25 UTC hello@padlet.com bigley2251 https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136557162 Researchers reporting in the journal Current Biology discovered that bonobos aren't that much different from us humans. Just like people, as bonobos age, their eyesight deteriorates. These symptoms arise around the time bonobos turn 40. This suggests that eyesight has not evolved much from our Pan-Homo ancestors. Researchers noticed the lack of ability to see up close in bonobos while they attempted to groom one another. Heungjin Ryu of the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University noticed when the oldest male bonobo, Ten, had to stretch his arms to be able to groom. This behavior has been noticed in bonobos before but no one seemed to care before now. Researchers believe this eye impairment may affect the longevity of bonobos' lives. Scientists performed a test to measure the length bonobos stretched their arms while grooming at all different ages. It was conclusive that the number of inches increased as the bonobos got older. Since these creatures live in the shady canopy in the rainforest, poor eyesight can prove to be an obstacle. This information might prove to be key in helping to keep bonobos alive longer. But, all of this new knowledge simply proves that the majority of our population's bad eyesight is just apart of the aging process.]]> 2016-11-09 20:01:22 UTC https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136557162 bigley2251 https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136557641 At the rate things are occurring in the world regarding global warming and carbon emissions, extremely hot temperatures will become more and more common. Due to our own ignorance and lack of respect for the environment, all over the world there have been record breaking temperatures. In 2013 in Australia, summer temperatures reached highs of 50°C. If pollution levels don't drop drastically, these types of temperatures could be the new normal by 2025. However, not all hope is lost. If we regulate carbon emissions as recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, this domino effect can be stopped. A "new normal" was recently defined by Dr. Lewis and her colleagues. When temperatures have been at least half cooler and half warmer in the years following a record year, then a new normal may be declared. After using a program at ANU to run climate models, scientists and researchers found out that at seasonal and regional levels, global average temperature increases were not inevitable. With any luck, taking precautions to limit global warming will prevent places like Australia from experiencing generally exhausting temperatures.]]> 2016-11-09 20:02:50 UTC https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136557641 bigley2251 https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136559216  Recently in 2012 and 2013, dams have been removed from the Penobscot River in Maine. Though some dams seem to be "necessary", most of them are hurting oceanic ecosystems and certain fish populations. Shad fish used to be abundant in the Penobscot River but this changed in the 1830s when 3 major dams were erected. Migratory fish were prevented from reaching their native breeding grounds and populations plummeted. Now ultimately since the "plug has been pulled" this river has access to a good habitat. This removal of dams has slowly become a nationwide movement. Four dams are set to be removed from the Klamath River in California and Oregon by 2020. As expected, the sudden lack of dams has allowed for a influx of fish and nutrients. After the Elwha River Dam in Washington came down, salmon migrated back into its waters and brought with it many nutrients which benefitted the ecosystem greatly. The Penobscot River Restoration Project spent close to $60 million to remove the dams and install a fish lift. Many fish had been trying to get into this vast river to breed and thrive but couldn't with the dams in place. Now water quality has improved and fish are happily living in the river.  Right before the first two dams were removed, scientists placed groups of herring into the river which proved to be effective. People like Dr. Zydlewski, who was key in this revival of the Penobscot River, are loving the sight of a thriving, restored habitat for their native animals.]]> 2016-11-09 20:07:25 UTC https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136559216 bigley2251 https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136561897 In China, displaying large wild animals for commercial purposes isn't illegal. This leaves a lot of room for discrepancies. Pizza, a polar bear on display in the Grandview Mall, can be considered the saddest polar bear alive because of his current living conditions. Pizza is kept in a glass box enclosure where hundreds of people take pictures  with him each and every day. He is kept under artificial lights and has a small vent to smell the outside world through. Pizza, along with many other animals, is used to attract customers. Many advocates for animal  welfare have tried to reach out to the governor of Guangdong,  Zhu Xiaodan, to address this issue.They even want him to close the entire Grandview Polar Sea World. This mall zoo is right next to major department stores, escalators and restaurants. Despite persistent efforts, Zhu refuses to release Pizza and has tried to reassure the pulic that he is fine and well taken care of.  He even declined an offer from the UK to take in Pizza and give him a better environment. Wendy Higgins, a spokeswoman for Humane Society International, disagrees with Zhu's statement that, "You can’t entirely separate animal welfare from these social benefits.” She believes polar bears require a large habitat to maintain their physical and mental health. Higgins along with many other activists have received hate for "imposing their western views on China". China hasn't had an animal welfare law since the 1930s. The Chinese people's detached interest in the wellbeing of their animals is unsettling to many. The government has yet to answer on any of these problems.]]> 2016-11-09 20:15:34 UTC https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136561897 bigley2251 https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136561985  Though it is a known fact that hundreds of species of animals consume plastic or debris daily, there was some controversy as to why. A recent study conducted by Matthew Savoca, showed smell plays a factor in the eating of plastic. Matthew focused on sea birds. He first placed buoys of micro plastics in the ocean off the coast of California and left them there for 3 weeks. Savoca and his colleagues then took the buoys in for testing and figured out they reeked of sulfur. This put a lot of puzzle pieces together. Most sea birds eat krill and all krill consume algae. Algae has a very distinct sulfuric odor known as DMS. When sea birds look for krill to eat, they also use their sense of smell to lead them to dinner. When they smell sulfur, they know it's time to eat. So, once these birds get in the mode to eat, they lose all sense of what they're actually consuming. With plastic debris accumulating rapidly, this is becoming more and more of an issue. After further tests, scientists confirmed that specific birds like albatrosses were the most attracted to the smell and were also the most heavily impacted by plastic consumption. Hopefully, we can help animals from making these mistakes by recycling and taking better care of our planet.]]> 2016-11-09 20:15:50 UTC https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136561985 bigley2251 https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136562308 Scientists have become increasingly worried and interested in a certain phenomenon occurring in the Bering Sea. Hundreds of puffins have been washing up dead on the shores of the Pribilof Islands in the North Pacific. This environment was once one of the largest sources for the fishing industry but now is experiencing record high water temperatures. This warmth caused by a lasting high-pressure system, has distrubted the marine food web. These above average temperatures have created poor breeding grounds for copepods, which are essential for the growth and survival of other species like puffins. The West Coast recently experienced one of the worst algal blooms ever. The warm water and poor conditions have led to less food for the entire food web. The lack of zooplankton and food gives us a logical answer for the sudden dying-off of puffins. Scientists confirmed this when Lauren Divine, co-director of the ecosystem conservation office for St. Paul's Aleut community, examined some of the puffins and found they were not sick but died of extreme starvation. Going from finding a few puffins every once in a while to finding 250 dead in 20 days is unheard of. With these conditions not changing anytime soon, the future does not look optimistic for puffins, an already dwindling species. ]]> 2016-11-09 20:16:58 UTC https://padlet.com/bigley2251/g2fmmmzm1tkd/wish/136562308