"It is that range of biodiversity that we must care for - the whole thing - rather than just one or two stars."
-David Attenborough
Questions? Email me, Ronak Sathyanarayana, at ronaks@goanimals.org.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Bald Eagle Nest Cams

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/03/140306-animals-bald-eagle-cams-environment-endangered-species/


Decorah, Iowa: The Raptor Resource Project has been watching this nest since 2009, and has observed 17 eaglets. There are currently three eggs in the snow-covered nest, the third one laid on March 2.



Brookfield, Maine: Cameras allow a glimpse of nature in the raw, which can be unforgiving. Last year one of two cameras in Brookfield transmitted images of a dying eaglet that raised concern from online watchers. Conservationists advise not interfering with birds, even when they are in harm's way.



Ft. Meyers, Florida: Located on private property farther south than many other eagle cams, this nest is home to a 10-week-old bird that spent much of February strengthening its wings. Soon the young bird will take its first flight.



Mount Berry, Georgia: Keeping an eye on a pair that nested very late in the season last year, Berry College has used interest in the camera to help educate the public about bald eagles. They hosted an hour-long Q and A with Berry College professor and eagle expert Reneé Carleton, who answered questions from email and Twitter such as, "Why did the dad bury the unhatched egg?"



Redding, California: Liberty and Spirit, the pair nesting in view of this camera in northern California's Turtle Bay Exploration Park, are unusual because Spirit is the second male to mate with Liberty. Her previous mate, Patriot, died last year.

New Family of Bird Discovered in Asia

Very little is known about this bird. Scientists call this family of birds "wren-babblers". But there is one strange fact. It's not really a family of birds. There's only one species of bird in this family.

New Species of Wasps Discovered

Apanteles albanjimenez, a parasitic wasp, was discovered in Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Costa Rica. This wasp wil lay its eggs with other insects. When the eggs hatch, the wasps eat the other insect. Almost 200 of this species were discovered. Very little is know about these wasps. Scientists believe that it eats aphids.

Bumblebees Get Hit by CCD

CCD, also known as Colony Collapse Disorder, effects bees. Huge hives have died from this disorder and no one knows why. Bees play the important role of pollination in our ecosystem. But if the #1 pollinators are dying, who's going pollinate the flowers. Sure there are other animals to pollinate, but each flower has one pollinator that it depends on. Most flowers depend on bees. To make matters worse, a study came out that now bumblebees have been hit CCD. Bumblebees are pollinators too. Every animal is needed on this planet and one small animal can impact the world.