Nov. 27/2018

Feature:

Where Do Insects Go In Winter?

“Many insects produce ‘antifreeze’ molecules that prevent their cells from freezing & exploding. That’s just one of the strategies used by our 6-legged neighbors to survive the cold. Most of them hide in some kind of shelter & remain inactive, in a state called diapause. While some, like mourning cloak butterflies & giant water bugs, overwinter as adults, the majority go into diapause as eggs, larvae, or nymphs. Firefly larvae burrow underground, while black swallowtail butterfly chrysalises cling to branches.”

Marie-Claude Ouellet

in Nature Dwells Within Us  (Space For Life)

2018 Program

                                   

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

Nov. 21/2018

Feature:

Are Black Cats & Dogs Really Less Likely to Be Adopted?

“…WHAT IS BLACK DOG (OR CAT) SYNDROME?

Black Dog Syndrome — or sometimes Big Black Dog Syndrome — is the term animal shelters use to suggest that black dogs often are passed over for adoption…Some people add ‘Big’ to the expression because smaller dogs & puppies (& kittens) tend to have a higher adoption rate, regardless of coloring.

‘It is possible that there may simply be more black pets in the shelter & rescue population,’ according to the Petfinder blog. ‘However reports from across the country seem to illustrate the problem, & multiple national organizations have long recognized BDS as an issue that adversely affects the adoption rates of black pets.’…

FACTORS WORKING AGAINST BLACK ANIMALS

There are several factors that could contribute to Black Dog (or Cat) Syndrome. Some of it might have to do with superstitions associated with black animals, according to the American Kennel Club. Black cats have ties to witches & misfortune. And there are many stories about evil black dogs, sometimes painting them as omens of death or even incarnations of the devil. Even if you don’t consciously believe these myths, they might have helped to shape your pet preferences.

But another factor does actually stem from black animals’ coloring: They can’t be seen very well in their kennels or photographs. Many animal shelters don’t have stellar lighting or professional photographers to take photos of the adoptable pets. So the black dogs & cats all tend to blend together — their unique features lost in the dim environment…

HERE’S WHAT THE DATA SAYS

According to the ASPCA, the prejudice against black cats & dogs is just another myth surrounding these animals…Because black dogs & cats make up the largest groups of shelter intake by color, it’s going to appear as though more are passed over for adoption…

ASPCA data of about 300,000 animals from 2013 drive home this point:

- Black dogs made up 30% of the total canine intake. The next highest group was

brown dogs at 23%. Consequently, 32% of canine adoptions were black dogs,

& 22% were brown dogs, followed by the other color groups.

- As for felines, black cats made up 33% of intake, followed by gray cats at 22%. And

black cats accounted for 31% of the feline adoptions, with gray at 20%.

So even though black cats & dogs represented the largest color population at shelters,

their adoption rates also remained the strongest…

Furthermore, another study of shelter dogs in the Pacific Northwest found black dogs

actually had a slightly shorter length of stay versus other colors. ‘The study also

concluded that age & breed group were more important than coat color when it came to

adoptability,’ according to Science Daily…

…these numbers suggest simple color prejudice is not the main issue black

animals face in shelters…

HOW TO HELP ADOPTABLE ANIMALS

…Donate your time, expertise or resources to your local animal shelter. Fostering, dog

walking, cat socializing, fundraising, cleaning— there’s always a need for various

volunteers. Plus, educate your friends & family about pet overpopulation, & encourage

them to adopt…”

Mary Daly

Oct. 30/2018

care2.com

Cute Critter Pic

Weekly Chuckle

Nov. 14/2018

Feature:
5 Facts That Will Make You Think Differently About Vultures

“…There are 23 species of vultures that can be split into 2 groups: the New World vultures & the Old World vultures…

1. Vultures have stomach acid from hell.
…vulture stomach acid is tough & really corrosive. It has to be — otherwise, these birds wouldn’t be able to eat those nasty, rotten carcasses that are infected with botulism, cholera, & anthrax.

2. Vultures live all over the world.
…vultures are actually found on every continent, except Australia & Antarctica. Species of vultures live in a variety of climates, including along the Himalayas, Sub-Saharan Africa & in the Amazon River Basin…

3. Vultures can use tools.
…the Egyptian vulture…drops rocks onto ostrich eggs in order to break them open. They’ve also been spotted using twigs as a tool to gather strands of wool, which the birds use to line their nests.
Other vultures use different methods of finding food. The bearded vulture, for instance, will drop tortoises to crack the shell open. The bird will also do this with bones to access the tasty marrow.

4. Vultures can be very social.

…vultures can be very social. Take the Ruppell’s Griffon vulture. These birds mate for life, which can be 40 to 50 years, & live in colonies of 1,000 mating pairs. The love birds only lay one egg per year, & both parents incubate & feed the resulting chick. They also tend to feed in large groups.

 

5. Vultures can smell.

Well, at least one species can: the turkey vulture. This is an ability that is rare in birds, but turkey vultures can sniff out a special sulfurous smell from more than a mile away.”

Mindy Townsend

April 7/2018

care2.com

Cute Critter Pic:

Weekly Chuckle:

 Memorial

Nov. 7/2018

Feature:

Scientists Spot Whale Thought to be Extinct

“An endangered whale that has been seen off Canada’s west coast only twice in the past 50 years & which was feared to be extinct from those waters is alive & well. Thomas Doniol-Valcroze, a research biologist with the Department of Fisheries & Oceans, said scientists saw as many as 6 sei whales swimming in a pod of fin whales. The sei whale is listed as endangered in Canada’s Species at Risk Act & Doniol-Valcroze says it is very exciting to know they still exist, even in very low numbers.”

The Canadian Press

in The Gazette, Montreal

Sept. 27/2018 

Cute Critter Pic 

Weekly Chuckle

Oct. 31/2018

Feature:
6 Hair-Raising Facts About Black Cats

“…Check out these hair-raising facts to see why black cats are such curious creatures.

They’re Actually More Likely to Be Adopted
You may have heard that black cats are less likely to be adopted than their fair-coated peers. However, as it turns out, this isn’t the case.

In fact, according to data compiled by the ASPCA, black cats are actually adopted more often from cat shelters than other cats. Because black is a common coat color, more black cats enter the animal shelter system, resulting in disproportionately high numbers of adoptions from animal shelters…

Black Cats May Be More Resistant to Disease
…Cancer researchers have found that the genetic mutation that results in black fur is related to genes that cause resistance to diseases such as HIV in humans. Combined with top-notch nighttime camouflage, scientists speculate that this may give black cats a genetic upper hand, & it may explain why the coat color is so common.

They Patrol the High Seas
Since ancient times, cats have earned their keep (& fish) by patrolling ships for rats. Black cats, in particular, were considered not only practical mousers but also lucky talismans…

They Have Official Holidays 

…In the United States, August 17 is Black Cat Appreciation Day… England recognizes October 27 as National Black Cat Day… 

There’s a ‘Parlor Panther’ Black Cat

The Bombay might be the ultimate black cat. A hybrid of the Burmese & American Shorthair, this breed has been nicknamed the ‘parlor panther’ thanks to its exotic good looks. Although the Cat Fanciers' Association recognizes a number of breeds that can have black coats, Bombays are the only one that must be shown in solid black.

 

…According to Jeri Zottoli, the Cat Fancier’s Bombay breed secretary & judge, this petite panther is the perfect pet. ‘Like potato chips, you can't have just one,’ she says. ‘They love their humans—they’re very friendly, social cats who would go home with anyone. We always allow spectators to pet our cats so they can see their endearing personalities.’

 

…And a ‘Werewolf’ Black Cat 

…Sometimes called the ‘Werewolf Cat,’ the Lykoi is a newly recognized, semi-hairless breed that owes its distinctive black coat to a genetic mutation first discovered in feral colonies. The most common Lykoi coat is ‘black roan,’ a black base punctuated with white hairs that creates a wild, wolf-like look. 

 

…Desiree Bobby, the Cat Fanciers’ Association’s marketing & communications coordinator, is also a Sphinx breeder…’Sphynx owners tend to be a little bit wackier than most, so it makes sense we would be drawn to them,’ says Bobby. “It’s their genetic uniqueness that intrigues me—the fact that they are so rare & close relatives only to feral cats. I have more than a few that seem to have been born with canine instincts.’”

Monica Weymouth

Petmd.com

Oct. 30/2018

Scary Halloween Pics

Weekly Chuckle