FWC Confirms New Species in Florida

                                                                               Photo by FWC



Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has publicly stated the finding of a new species of black bass. During routine bass genetic information collection in 2007, a DNA profile was marked as, "new." In the Chipola river, the specimen was caught and since that date scientist have defined a range in coastal river systems in Alabama and the panhandle of Florida.

The discovery was revealed at a conference of the Southern Division of American Fisheries Society in the first half of this year. Choctaw bass ,Micropterus haiaka,  scientific name is in progress to entitle the new freshwater bony fish.

As a sidnote, a gross morphology of the choctaw bass shows resemblance to the spotted bass.

http://myfwc.com/research/freshwater/sport-fishes/black-basses/choctaw-bass/

R.C. New Park

A new park, Ntokou-Pikounda National Park, that has an area of 4,572 square kilometers in the Republic of Congo and is estimated to hold 15,000 gorillas, 800 elephants, and 950 chimpanzees. Thats nearly 10% of of the population of western lowland gorillas (125,000). Western lowland gorillas are one of four recognized gorilla sub-species, which also include mountain gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, and Cross River gorillas. All are classified as “critically endangered” by the IUCN, except eastern lowland gorillas, which are endangered.

The link below will direct you to a donation site by Wildlife Conservation Society to aid in equipment aquisition and employee park rangers.

https://secure3.convio.net/wcs/site/Donation2?5780.donation=form1&df_id=5780

Brief overview of this subspecies, Gorilla gorilla gorilla
http://worldwildlife.org/species/western-lowland-gorilla

A Bite With More To It

Long has it been thought that the Komodo dragon, Varanus komodoensis, has successfully been able to prey upon animals because of an abundance of bacteria in their mouth. In fact, it is not uncommon to find high densities of bacteria from an orifice in numerous species. Scientists have found two venomous glands on each side of the mandible and with imagery of a skull with soft tissue intact, it was possible to observe the glands (See video). In 2009, Singapore Zoo was able to surgically remove the glands from a terminally ill komodo and upon chemical analysis, venom was confirmed. It turns out that a Komodos venom acts as an anti-coagulant, vasodilator and decreasing  blood pressure potentially causing shock (Hypovolemic).

Prevailing Okapi Conservation

Recent lifes lossed, 6 people and 14 okapi, this past summer in the Congo comes with some measure of resolution. The Okapi Conservation Project recieved financial aid and notoriety from the Mongabay.com 2012 conservation award.

http://news.mongabay.com/2012/1205-okapi-cp_award_2012.html
http://www.okapiconservation.org/news/okapi-conservation-project-epulu-update-june-28-2012/

 

http://www.okapiconservation.org/news/listen-to-john-lukas-speak-about-the-okapi-conservation-project-at-wcn-expo-2012/